Forbidden to Remember
by AnonymousVDAddict
Summary: Begins after 3x13. Elijah has a secret he's successfully kept from everyone, even the stealth and dangerous Klaus. A girl by the name of Hayley, his secret love. But how was he able to keep her such a mystery? Elijah/OC
1. Chapter 1

Elijah sat in his brother's mansion in one of the many dens. It was easy to find a space alone in this giant home of Klaus'. He was finally awake and reunited with his family. Even his long ago diseased mother has rejoined for reasons Elijah was still figuring out. He should be joyful to have all of his loved ones back, especially his mother whom he thought he would never speak with again. But his thoughts were focused on only one. He was ashamed to know it wasn't Klaus, Rebekah, Finn, Kol, or his dear mother Esther. When the time came, he had made a rule that he would never speak of her aloud. It would only ruin the decisions he made. But a part of him knew it was also to ease the pain, the suffering. But Elijah was never able to stop his mind from wandering.

One would think that a vampire's memory would never be able to retain its entire beloved memories, especially a vampire as old as Eliah. It's expected that many keepsakes would slip through the cracks and be sadly forgotten over time. But with her, Elijah remembered every detail. He tried, but he couldn't stop as she rushed into his memory.

_She was at a coffee shop by herself, reading Jane Eyre. She had on black skinny jeans, combat books, and a leather jacket plus a latte within her reach. Every Saturday she was there for an hour, constantly looking at her phone to make sure she wasn't late to wherever she rushed off to that day. For reasons unknown, at first, she caught Elijah's eye. It was the second time he saw her there as he walked by the glass windows. He made sure she never noticed him, which was easy since her eyes were always racing across every word of her book. _

_ It was Chicago 2009. One of the many cities Elijah went to during his time of searching for the keys to killing Klaus. The whereabouts of the doppelganger and the moonstone were still a mystery then. Elijah was constantly on the move looking for answers, helpful witches, vampires with information, but most of all having his whereabouts kept a secret from Klaus until he wanted to be known. _

_ It was no time for personal agendas, such as talking to the beautiful girl in the coffee shop. Elijah told himself she was much too young and he had more pressing matters he needed done while visiting Chicago. But his third Saturday walking by the windows, something about her made him enter the coffee shop. He smoothly walked over to the counter and ordered a coffee he had no intention of drinking. As he waited he studied the girl closer than he usually was able to when walking by. Her hair was medium length and so strawberry blonde it could be mistaken for red. But her eyes were what drew Elijah in. They were a mix of blue and green, but when the sunlight reflected9 into them, he couldn't look away. The barista called his order and before he knew what he was doing, Elijah was walking over to her table. _

_ "Are you being forced to read that for school?" Elijah spoke softly as he gestured to the book in her hand. She quickly looked up; he had taken her out of the book and brought her attention back to the real world. She laughed slightly, not at him but at herself. _

_ "No, just for fun." She smiled confidently. She continued to eye him, waiting for what he would say next._

_ Elijah couldn't stop himself. He reached out his hand, "My name's Elijah. Do you mind if I sit down?" He pointed to the other seat at her table._

_ But the girl looked confused. It was obvious that he was much older than her. Elijah couldn't help but smile at how he could tell she was measuring his intentions._

_ "Umm, sure." She replied slowly and she shook his hand. For some reason she looked around the coffee shop seeing if anyone else was paying attention to them. But the coffee shop was mostly empty except for an old man who always sat in the corner reading the newspaper. She closed her book, looking uncomfortable at the situation that had so suddenly unfolded._

_ "Aren't you a little young to be reading Jane Eyre for fun Miss…May I ask for your name?" Elijah raised an accusing eyebrow as he asked._

_ With that comment she ignored the awkwardness of the situation; narrowing her eyes, she was clearly annoyed with the question. She leaned forward, placing her forearms defiantly on the table. "Since when is there an age limit to reading a Bronte novel? Aren't they supposed to be timeless or something?" She didn't care if she came off as rude._

_ Elijah couldn't help but laugh at the spunk she had. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just found it amusing to find someone so young reading that book. It seems to become less popular with every generation. And I believe most people your age would never read that for their own enjoyment. By the way, you've yet to tell me your name."_

_ "You're right. Most people at my school probably don't even know this book exists." She sighed as she continued. "As nerdy as it sounds, I have a personal goal to read all the classics this summer. Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Darien Grey…" She looked up at him, amusement written across his face, "Well you probably get the point." She sat back, slouching in her seat as she took a sip of her cup. Elijah's vampire senses could smell the coffee off her breath. _

_ He looked down at her hands and saw the tips of her fingers were dirty with something black. The girl, who still had failed at giving him her name, wasn't paying him attention anymore. She was instead looking out the glass window up at the skyscraper buildings. There was something in her expression that Elijah couldn't completely read, was it content or was she simply daydreaming?_

_ "Don't let anyone ever tell you that is nerdy. I find it ambitious. Truly, I am impressed by your personal drive to broaden your literary horizons." He smiled. And she gave a nervous laugh at the compliment. _

_ "I assume you're here by yourself?" Elijah asked but immediately regretted when he heard her heartbeat speed up. He cursed himself for scaring her. Any smart girl would realize the question was off. He quickly tried to save himself. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just surprising that your parents let you go downtown by yourself." He let himself breath when he heard her heartbeat slow down again. She glanced at her phone. "Oh shit!" She whispered. "I have to go." Packing her things, she started getting up but her backpack somehow wrapped around her leg, making her quickly trip. Elijah swiftly stood up at an inhuman speed, catching her before any harm was done. _

_ "Thanks." She breathed. Elijah nodded as he slowly let go of her waist. But she stood there for a moment, dazed, before she grabbed her backpack again and turned to leave. She only took a few steps before stopping and turning to face him. "Hayley…that's my name." But before Elijah could respond, she rushed out the door. He sighed. At the corner of his eye he saw _Jane Eyre_ sitting on the floor, underneath their table. He couldn't help but smile. Now he had an excuse to talk to Hayley again. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Elijah followed Hayley's scent outside the coffee shop. She headed in the direction of the Art Institute. But her scent disappeared; it was always hard tracking someone in the city. There were too many factors that could easily sway the direction. He looked up at the copper lions. Something unknown, made him decide to go inside, seeing his case as a lost cause. Elijah always enjoyed going into the art museums. It made him feel like he was in a time capsule. All of his past lives brought together to show the arts of every era he lived through. But in the corner of his heart, he knew it was also depressing. It made him realize how cold-hearted he was. With every painting he felt less and less human and he was reminded of his immortality that he did nothing to deserve. To Elijah, everything was modern art. He stood in front of Edward Hopper's _Nighthawks_ with all his self-hatred. So distracted by his inner thoughts, he didn't notice someone come stand next to him. He immediately recognized Hayley's scent. Her perfume made her smell of jasmine, mandarin, and patchouli. "If it isn't the creepy yet charming man from the coffee shop." She teased as she also looked at the painting with Elijah. All of his inner turmoil melted away in her presence. He looked at her standing next to him. He hadn't realize how tall Hayley was. She seemed to be close to 5'11. She was very skinny but Elijah could tell she was somewhat athletic by the lean muscles that softly covered her body._

_ "I'll try not to be offended by that greeting." He smiled._

_ "Oh…well I wasn't really worried about that. You like this one?" She asked casually. "It's my favorite." Lightly smiling._

_ "Yes, I quite like it. Why is it your favorite?" He asked curiously. _

_ "Hmm…I guess I just like to imagine about what they were doing in the diner, what their stories were. What were they talking about? And maybe I like it because I'm a total night owl, and I like to think I could be that girl." Hayley laughed at herself. _

_ But Elijah stared at her. She subconsciously brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned to face him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"_

_ "How old are you?" He eyed her._

_ She cleared her throat uncomfortably. "17…Why?"_

_ "You don't act like you're 17." Elijah replied quickly._

_ Hayley sighed. "Yeah, I get that a lot."_

_ "You're an old soul." He replied simply. _

_ "I'm a what?"_

_ "An old soul. It's an expression. It means that you're wise beyond your years. You've retained wisdom from past lives and use it in your present one. It was meant to be a compliment."_

_ "Well, thank you...I think" She shifted anxiously. Elijah noticed she wasn't used to getting compliments. Her heart sped a little every time._

_ "So this is where you were rushing off to. Scared the art was going to leave?"_

_ "Ha, very funny. If you must know, I actually take an art class here every Saturday. I was running late." She gestured to other teenagers her age walking around in small groups also observing the paintings. _

_ "That explains your fingers."_

_ "My fingers?" She said self-consciously shoving them into her pockets._

_ "Earlier, I noticed you have charcoal and lead stains on them." _

_ "You're quite the observer, Elijah." She looked to see that the rest of her class was going to the next room. "Well, I better catch up with them…Bye for the second time today. Maybe you can follow me somewhere else sometime and ask me other sketchy questions." She gave him a warning look with a smile before turning._

_ "Hayley, you left this at the coffee shop." Elijah reached into his pocket to grab her small copy of _Jane Eyre_. _

_ "Oh, I guess it was lucky that we ran into each other again. Thanks… a lot. I would've been really sad if I lost this." _

_ Although in a small town, such as Mystic Falls, the average population of vampires is always low. But in bigger cities, they gravitate much more. So it wasn't surprising that Elijah sensed other vampires at the museum that day. He told himself that he was wasting his time with Hayley. He would leave her alone after that. Elijah had business to attend to anyways, at least that's what he continued to remind himself. Hayley was young, beautiful, clever, and quite frankly, confused by Elijah's intentions for her. He was walking toward the exit when he recognized a young, male as a vampire. He started walking in the direction Hayley had gone. She had clearly caught his attention with her exquisiteness and mouth-watering scent. Elijah precipitously became aware of how defenseless she was. Even if he had no intention of harming her, that wouldn't stop any other vampire from killing an innocent. Immediately, he turned back to the museum. He told himself he wouldn't intervene, he would simply watch over her until she was home. _

_ Two hours later, Hayley was packing her stuff up. She had to catch a train back to the suburbs. Grabbing her bag she rushed down the streets. The sun had just set and it was getting dark fast. She always hated slow walking tourists so she decided to take the less crowded side streets, hoping to get to the train station faster. But Hayley didn't know she was being followed. And all of her decisions were putting her in more danger. But what her predator didn't know is that Elijah was watching his every move. It was clear that the rogue male planned on attacking her the second he could take her in a secluded place without anyone noticing. Elijah's phone started ringing; he ripped it out of his coat pocket, annoyed. _

_ "What?" He growled. It was one of his witches. Someone had called with news about his dear half-brother, Klaus. Elijah roughly responded. As soon as he hung up, he panicked. He'd lost track of Hayley, distracted by his phone call._

_ Hayley turned the corner, and paused for a second noticing that the street was oddly empty. Unexpectedly, she got the chills and had an odd feeling something wasn't right. She turned to see a man walking behind her. Usually that would comfort her more but as soon as he glanced at her, something told her she needed to find somewhere more populated. Her feet picked up speed. She tried to listen carefully to how far behind they were. But she stopped when she noticed that no one was behind her. She turned back around but ran into the very one she was avoiding. Hayley looked up to his eyes to see that they were black with hunger and veins surrounded his eyes. She immediately screamed, desperate to get anyone's attention. But he had already grabbed her and cupped his hand over her mouth. _

_ He was a ripper. While other vampires compelled silence onto their victims, he enjoyed the screams. They didn't give him shudders of guilt but ecstasy. He rushed her to the nearest alley. He slammed Hayley on the ground. She groaned in pain. For some reason, he stood looking at her. She took his mild pause to try and make a run for it. What she lacked in strength, she made up in speed. When it came to fight or flight, she knew she always would choose flight. She got up, sprinting as fast as she could to the alley's opening. But her attacker was already in front of her, arms crossed with an amused expression. That's impossible, she thought. There's no way he could be that much faster than her. _

_ "Don't bother, you'll never make it." He sneered as he grabbed her arm with more force than any capable human. Then he shoved her against a wall, Hayley's head slamming into brick causing her vision to see spots. She could sense that this was it; there was nothing else that could save her. This man, this thing was not human. He had advantages she didn't even know of. His eyes were still such a dark red she mistook them for black earlier. His fangs slid out of his gums as he forced her head to the side, exposing her pale neck._

_ His mouth slowly went to her ears as he whispered, "Now why don't you let me hear that beautiful scream of yours?"_

_ But before she could tell him anything but a scream, her attacker was abruptly pulled off of her. It was so unexpected that she fell hard onto her right knee. She hissed in pain but tried with all her strength to get up and run. But her body refused to obey. The adrenaline rush was gone and her body was becoming weaker by the second. All Hayley could do was look up at whatever momentarily saved her life. Her eyes widened as she recognized the man standing before her as Elijah. _

_ His hand flew into her attacker's chest, withdrawing back with the man's heart in Elijah's hand. Elijah faced Hayley to see she had pure terror on her face. Had her life been spared just to face a worse fate? Careful not to scare her even more, he slowly walked over to her. Kneeling down, he balanced one of his forearms on his knee. _

_ "Hayley, look at me. I promise I'm not going to harm you." He spoke slow and soft hoping she wasn't too terrified to even speak to him. But her only response was her entire body shaking. Whether it was from cold, shock, or just plain horror, Elijah didn't know. Sighing, he looked over at the vampire corpse. He had to dispose of it as soon as possible. "I will be back in 5 minutes, I promise I won't leave you." Hayley barely nods her head in understanding. Although, it was a summer night, she couldn't stop from shaking. Her body was rapidly falling into shock. She looked over to see that the body was gone, how did he move it so quickly? _

_ Her instincts told her she shouldn't wait for Elijah to return. If he was so capable of killing a monster, wouldn't that make him even worse? She used her good leg to push her back against the brick wall she was leaning against. Slowly, she stood up. With all her weight on one leg, she leaned her right shoulder along the wall. Except with one step she already lost her balance. _

_ "Would you like help or do you plan on making it all the way home on one leg?" Elijah asked sarcastically._

_ "Stay away from me." Hayley said with as much warning as she could muster. Unfortunately, her heartbeat gave all of it away. It was fluttering like a butterfly. "She's right to be afraid of me." Elijah thought. "She has good instincts."_

_ "Hayley, I promise I have no intention of harming you. Let me help. You have my word that will not hurt you."_

_ She looked into his eyes, judging his trustworthiness. Something about him told her to believe him. The way he gave her his word made it seem like he actually held a strong belief and loyalty to it. _

"_Fine." She whispered. Before she knew what was happening, Elijah had draped his suit coat over her shoulders and he'd scooped her up into his arms. He was very gentle not to hurt her right leg. His car was already waiting at the edge of the alley. As if she weighed nothing, he gracefully opened the passenger door and tenderly slid Hayley inside, closing the door. Half a second later, he was already in the driver's seat starting the car._

__**It would be wicked cool if I got some great reviews. :)  
>If anyone is actually reading this that is. lol. <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Shout out to Trulzxoxo and ElecticProse for the positive reviews! You're my motivation. It would be awesome to get more reviews! The more I get the faster the chapters will come out I promise! Anyways I love listening to music when I read/write so here's some music I was listening to while I wrote this chapter.**

**Thinking About You by Big Scary**

**Nothing Brings Me Down by Emiliana Torrini**

**Under the Waves by Pete Droge**

**Big Red Machine by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner**

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><p><em>Hayley looked around wide-eyed. "This is your car?"<em>

_ "Yes."_

_ "This is an Audi R8." Hayley said with astonishment. _

_ "You know cars?" Glad to use something to distract her from asking more serious questions such as what the hell had just happened._

_ "No…I mean…only ones that I like." Slowly coming back to reality._

_ "I'll drive you home, where do you live?" Elijah had already planned on taking her home and compelling her memory to forget the whole tragic event. He convinced himself it was ok to wait until after the car ride. It was selfish really. He didn't want to make her forget him. He wasn't ready to let her go just yet; Elijah wanted to hold onto whatever this was just a little longer._

_ "Um, I live in the suburbs. If you don't mind, can you just drop me off at the train station? That's where I was headed anyways." She was looking down at the floor._

_ "Absolutely not. You won't even make it up the stairs. Maybe you should call your parents and tell them you'll be awhile. I'll drive you home."_

_ "Look, I really appreciate you saving my life with the whole ripping out that guy's heart…as overly dramatic as that was. By the way, can we stop acting like that didn't happen? I don't know you or what your deal is. But I really don't want to have you drive me home. The last thing I need is for you to know where I live."_

_ Elijah rolled his eyes, "Are you finished?"_

_ "No." She said glumly as she crossed her arms. _

_ "Alright, Hayley, we'll stop acting like that didn't happen. I killed a vampire that was about to kill you. And I was able to do that because I am also a vampire. I was avoiding this conversation entirely because I plan on you forgetting it anyways. So you have two choices: I can drive you home or I can force you to stay with me until you are able to actually walk. Since you are under the impression that I shouldn't know where you live, as ridiculous as that is." He said everything with his usual calmness, hoping it would defuse her shock at him just explaining that vampires do very much exist._

_ She looked out the window, annoyed with the ultimatum. She guessed he expected her to be shocked about the vampire part. But she would have to be an idiot not to have put it together herself. But hearing him say it aloud made it real. She looked at him, realizing he was waiting patiently for a response. He didn't seem like a monster. Elijah had saved her; he wasn't a monster._

"_You're not driving me home." She said defiantly, but also knowing she didn't want to do the latter one either. The whole situation confused her. How did she get into this position? Hayley couldn't figure out if she should trust Elijah or be scared of him. Sure he said comforting words, but manipulation was words greatest weakness. Lies are what Hayley knew of words. The car started moving down the streets in the loop. _

_ "Where are we going?" She panicked. _

_ "To my place." His eyes glued to the roads ahead. He could sense her uneasiness as he continued, "You don't have to worry. I gave you my word. I told you I would not harm you. I'll keep it."_

_Hayley couldn't help but pull Elijah's jacket closer to her body, she was still shaking a bit. She glanced out the window as they went underneath a high-rise to its underground parking. Hayley didn't wait for Elijah, she slowly opened the door, determined to walk on her own. Elijah was at her side, watching patiently. He figured out that she was stubborn and independent. She didn't want help unless she asked for it. Frustrated, she looked up. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"_

_ "What a terrible person I would be, enjoying your pain. May I be of assistance?"_

_ She sighed and nodded, refusing to say anything. Her pride wouldn't allow it. He walked over her. Elijah could sense her stiffen under his touch. Carefully he picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, trying not to wince at the pain that occurred every time her right knee barely bent. He walked over to the elevator, pressing the top floor. _Of course,_ Hayley thought._

_ Once they reached the penthouse, Elijah set her down aside the only door on the floor. He grabbed his keys from his pocket, unlocking the door. He opened it and gestured for Hayley to go first. The gentleman gesture threw her off for a second. She limped into the dark apartment as Elijah turned on the lights behind her. She looked around the apartment in amazement. The other side of the room was an entire wall of windows overlooking Lake Michigan. To the left was a kitchen with a granite island, black modern cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. To the right there was a hallway with half a dozen doors on both sides leading to other rooms. She walked straight ahead to the living area. The floor was dark wood but the furniture was very modern. Two giant crème suede couches faced a huge flat screen TV. Hayley looked down at her dirtied jeans and leather jacket. She suddenly felt extremely out of place. _

_ "Do you live here all by yourself?" Hayley softly asked as she turned to see Elijah leaning against the kitchen counter watching her._

_ "Yes, it's a bit much. I don't use most of the things here." He said bored._

_ "Like the colossal television?"_

_ "How'd you know?" He laughed._

_ "You don't really strike me as the type to lay around watching Sunday night football or Lost. Why do you have all of it then?"_

_ "I don't know. All of my houses are decorated like this. I guess it's just a habit that formed over time." _

_ "And how many houses do you have exactly?" She carefully asked._

_ "Quite a lot. I have an estate in most big cities; Chicago, New York, Paris, London, Rome…Well, you get the point. I assure you, it's not to impress anyone."_

_ That brought a hundred of other questions into her head, but she stopped herself from asking them at that moment. Once again, Hayley looked down at her disheveled self. "Umm…do you mind if a use a shower? I don't want to ruin all your nice furniture." She looked uncomfortable asking him._

_ "Yes, of course. You can use the master bathroom. It's the last door in the hall."_

_ She limped down the long hallway. Feeling Elijah's eyes on her neck, she knew he would be at her side in a second if she were to fall. Once she reached the door at the end of the hall, she closed to the door behind her. This room was just as extravagant, and obviously Elijah's. She turned to the right to see the door to the master bathroom left ajar. The floors were made of marble. There was a white porcelain stand-alone tub in one corner and a shower with multiple showerheads inside the glass. She opted with the tub, knowing it would be easier to sit than stand with her bad knee. _

_ Turning on the water so it was scorching hot, hoping it would rid her of the shivers she couldn't control. Right as she was about to take off her clothes she turned to look at the door. She locked the bathroom door. _As if that would stop a vampire who can rip out people's hearts_, she thought. _

_ She slipped into the bathtub, laying her head against the edge. Closing her eyes, she begged her body to relax. She sat in the tub for 15 minutes before she gained the motivation to get out and face Elijah again. As she wrapped a towel around her body, she paused. There was a pile of clothes neatly folded and placed on top of the counter by the sink. Quickly glancing at the doorknob, Hayley noticed the lock was undone. Her cheeks became hot with the thought of Elijah being inside the bathroom as she was taking a bath. _

_Hayley looked through the pile of clothes. There was a grey t-shirt and a pair of red flannel pajama pants. She couldn't help but smile, they obviously belonged to Elijah but for some reason she couldn't picture him wearing them. But the concept of him wearing a suit 24/7 was a little ridiculous. She threw the shirt on over her wet hair and had to roll the pants a little so she wouldn't trip over them. _

_Her knee felt a little better causing her limp to be slightly better. She walked back down to the kitchen but Elijah was nowhere to be found. A white piece of paper on the kitchen counter caught her attention._

Hayley,

I had business to attend suddenly. I ordered pizza for you. Please, make yourself at home. I should be back shortly.

Elijah

P.S. You should probably put some ice on your knee.

What kind of business does someone have at 10 o'clock at night_? She mocked. But Hayley stilled smiled at his flawless handwriting. She grabbed a few pieces of pizza out of the box next to the note. Deciding to watch TV since she was alone. Her inner child couldn't help itself as she found Spongebob on one of the channels. She caught herself before she was completely comfortable and followed Elijah's advice about the ice. After putting the bag on her knee, Hayley finally became aware of how exhausted she was. Before she knew it, she was passed out on the couch. _

_ Elijah came home at 11:30. A part of him thought he would come home with Hayley missing. Her stubbornness finding some way to frantically get home without his help. He was surprised when he saw her sleeping body on his couch. Her slightly wet, reddish blonde hair spread on the couch like an aura. Elijah could smell his shampoo on her hair. She was breathing so softly, her face the most relaxed he'd seen since he met her. Very careful not wake her he gently picked her up. In her half awake, half asleep daze she put her arms around his strong shoulders and nestled her face into the crook of Elijah's neck. The gesture surprised him and made him smile. At vampire speed he brought her to the master bedroom, his bedroom. It had the most comfortable bed. And secretly he liked the idea of her sleeping in his bed. But he immediately felt guilty from the thought. He placed her under the covers pulling them up around her. _

_ Stepping back, he stared at her for a moment. He had decided earlier that he would compel her to forget this dreadful day. But looking at her now, so beautiful and at her most vulnerable. He couldn't fathom the idea of leaving separating himself from her life so easily. But his feelings darkened when he thought of Klaus. Having just come back from talking to the witch that had called him earlier, reality hit him. Giving Hayley any more attention would only cause her pain and suffering. Caring for anything, anyone was just another weakness, something that his enemies could use against him. Elijah started imagining the worse scenarios possible. If Klaus' found out Elijah was planning on killing him and ruining his plans to activate his werewolf side, all hell would break lose. He would find anything dear to him, which was little. There is no way he wouldn't find Hayley somehow. Even though the feelings were one sided and at their early stages, Klaus would use them nonetheless._

_ That was when Elijah agreed he would take Hayley home tomorrow and compel her to forget his very existence. It had to be done._


	4. Chapter 4

_**SOOO I just got a bunch of notifications from people adding my stories to their favorite/alert list. SO EXCITING! I'm glad people are reading this! Alright sooooo please feel free to review, ask any questions, whatever your little hearts desire. Because I'm pumped! XoXo.**_

**Music.**

**Claws - Son Lux _(Elijah trying to scare Hayley)_**

**re:Stacks - Bon Iver**

**War - Son Lux**

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><p><em>Hayley awoke the next day sore. Her body was finally reacting to the trauma in another way than just exhaustion. When she looked around, she held her breath. How did she get into Elijah's bed? Demanding that her eyes wake up by rubbing them, she looked at the clock. It was almost 10:30. Before leaving Elijah's bedroom, she decided to have a look around. Although it was luxuriously decorated, it was also disturbingly impersonal. There were no photographs hanging anywhere or sitting on his nightstand. No personal items could be found anywhere. Hayley realized how opposite her room was. Someone could write a biography about her solely based on all the junk she had strewn across her bedroom. But it wasn't junk was it? It was personality. No DVDs, no CD collection, there was absolutely nothing that could tell her anything about him. She opened his walk-in closet to find an endless amount of suits, button ups, and dress shoes. There wasn't one pair of jeans or gym shoes.<em>

_ "Looking for something to wear?" A voice said behind her._

_ "Holy shit!" She yelled at she whipped around to face Elijah. "I'm sorry…I was just…yeah. I don't have a reasonable excuse for standing in your closet. I guess I was curious. Sorry." Elijah was leaning against the closet doorframe, his arms crossed, with an amused expression at her fumbling words._

_ "Do you always look like you're straight off of Wall Street?" She asked._

_ "It's just a personal preference." He shrugged. Before she could reply, he continued talking, "I brought you some breakfast, I thought you'd be hungry."_

_ She followed him into the kitchen. There was a Starbucks coffee and a muffin sitting on the counter waiting for her. "My hero." She joked spotting the coffee. Watching him, Elijah sat across from her at the other side of the island. His amusement from early seemed to have disappeared already. He kept looking out the window, at his hands, anywhere but at Hayley. He underestimated her senses; she noticed._

_ "Elijah." She said softly, trying to get his attention._

_ It wasn't difficult; he immediately locked eyes with her. "Yes, Hayley."_

_ For some reason the way he said her name made her feel uneasy. No one ever said it that way, like he enjoyed every sound of every letter. He made her feel meaningful. She shook her head at the last thought._

_ "Can I ask you some questions?" She looked like a child asking her parents for a piece of cake before dinner. She hoped it would take away the intensity in the room, but Elijah held his ground._

_ His eyes never left her gaze; he would never be the one to look away first. He sat back in his chair, once again crossing his arms. "Only if I can ask you some as well."_

_ Hayley laughed at that, "What could you possibly want to know about me?"_

_ But there was no joking when Elijah responded, "Everything."_

_ He was doing it again, making her feel weird._ Was this a vampire thing? _She thought. _No, it was an Elijah thing. _Hayley took a sip of her coffee. "Deal, me first."_

_ Elijah gestured with his hand for her to go ahead._

_ "How old are you?" Her eyes narrowed. _

_ "I am over a thousand years old." Hayley froze at the number._

_ "I expected you to say one…maybe 200 years. But a millennium?" Elijah knew that she was talking more to herself than to him. He didn't need to convince her anymore about his age. He took it as an opportunity to ask her something instead._

_ "You've been with me for almost a day, yet you haven't picked up your phone once to contact someone. Isn't anyone worried about you?" He leaned onto the table._

_ "My parents travel a lot for work. They're gone for the…" She stopped, looking up at Elijah, "…oh what the hell? They're gone for the next two weeks."_

_ "Siblings?" He continued. _

_ "An older sister, she lives on her own in the city now." Her tone showed him that she was close with her._

_ "Why did you come up to talk to me at the coffee shop yesterday?"_

_ Elijah chose his words carefully. "I found you intriguing, something about you caught my eye. I thought I'd use the day to talk to a beautiful young lady who was sitting by herself, reading _Jane Eyre._" He smirked._

_ "So you hadn't planned on killing me or assaulting me in any way?" _

_ "No."_

_ "Why did you save me?" Hayley rushed._

_ "I believe it's my turn." She waited. "Are you scared of me?"_

_ She breathed in before answering. "I don't know yet."_

_ "You should be…afraid of me that is." He retorted swiftly. _

_ Hayley couldn't help but smile, "No offense, but someone who says you should be scared of them is using that as a barrier instead of a warning. If I really should be scared of you, then you wouldn't tell me, you'd show me."_

_ Before she finished Elijah had raced next to her too fast for any human to catch. His face was barely an inch away from Hayley's face. She tried to keep a composed face but her heart was saying otherwise. _

_ "Have I proved my point?" He asked as he examined her eyes at a distance he was never able to yesterday. She only glared at him, seeing the entire act as unnecessary. He sat back down at his seat, looking down at her hands to see that she was playing with her muffin. He could tell she was thinking about something but didn't know if she should ask it or not. He waited._

_ After a few minutes she looked up and whispered, "How many people have you killed?"_

_ "Too many." He thought it was a safe answer._

_ "That's not a number. You could say that about just one person!"_

_ "More than the years I've lived on this earth." He waited for her heart to speed up, but it barely did._

_ "Vampires or humans?"_

_ "Both."_

_ "Did they deserve it?" She surprised him with the question._

_ "Does anyone ever deserve to die?" _

_ "Yes, but I'm asking…did you or did you not kill innocent people?"_

_ "Some of them were. Do you think me a murder?" _

_ "It's not really for me to decide. But if you're asking my opinion, then yes." Her honesty was what he wanted. "Is this your fucked up way of telling me that you're going to murder me sometime soon?" She joked, once again trying to lighten the mood._

_ He couldn't control the smile forming on his lips. When every other human would flee, she mocked him. "Would you like me to take you home now?"_

_ Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "So you can murder me?" Immediately laughing after she said it. She was already grabbing all of her things, shoving them into her backpack. _

_ Meanwhile, Elijah realized their time together was cascading to a close. The short drive was the only thing he had left to hold onto. He shouldn't have let her ask him all those questions. All it did was make him want to know about her; to get her to tear down the walls she had. Elijah knew to most her sarcasm was seen as entertaining and charming, but he saw it for what it really was. It was a defense to stop anyone from really knowing what was going on in that head of hers. _

_ He turned his head to see that she was staring at him, reading him. _

_ "Ready?" He asked._

_ "She ignored the question. "Last night you said something about making me forget it ever happened. Can you really do that?" For the first time that morning, she looked scared. Her voice even shook a little at the end of her question. Everything about her composure screamed, _Don't lie to this girl, Elijah.

_ "Yes, it's called compulsion."_

_ "Will you promise me something? As useless as promises are, will you still?" How could someone so young and beautiful already be so pessimistic towards others? Elijah wondered. He didn't respond, hoping she would interpret his silence as a yes._

_ "Will you promise never to use it on me?" _

_Silence._

_ "You already planned on doing it." Hayley whispered. _

_ He didn't deny it, how could he?_

_ "Elijah, please. I promise I'll never say anything to anyone. I'll never even say your name again. You don't need to do it. Please, believe me." Why did she care so much? Didn't she understand that she was better off without the past events forever haunting her? Elijah stood up straight. The least he could do was justify and defend his intentions for her. _

_ "I don't doubt a word you say. But it's better for you. There are scarier people than me out in the world. I have enemies more dangerous than you will ever understand. It's for your own protection. You would be safer never knowing me."_

_ She stepped closer to him. "Why is that your choice to make?"_

_ "Because I'm being the responsible one. You obviously don't have a realistic perception of the situation at hand. Otherwise you wouldn't be arguing."_

_ "That's not fair!" She yelled. He rolled his eyes at her._

_ "Stop doing that! Stop treating me like a helpless child!" _

_ Unexpectedly, he grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her close. His stare dug into hers. "You _are_ a child, Hayley! And in the vampire world you are helpless." Hayley stared, shocked by his reaction. Before she realized what she was doing her hands grabbed his from her shoulder, holding them. His gaze didn't waver. He noticed how cold her hands were. He desired nothing more than to hold them forever, preventing that from ever being the case. _

_ "Elijah." She sighed. Her eyes didn't have the courage to look back at him the way he was, choosing to look at the ground instead. Why did she have to say his name? It ruined all his composure._

_ "This is going to sound intense. But I don't think I'm supposed to forget this. Everything in my head is screaming that it's not right. I know you think you're protecting me, but I don't want to be ignorant to what's out there or what happened. I'll do whatever you want, anything, just don't take it away." She leaned her forehead against Elijah's chest, completely naïve of the effect it made on him. It was a sign of forfeiture. She had said enough, if he didn't change his mind after that, nothing would._

_ Hayley stepped back to watch his expression. He was silent and collected. It drove her crazy. It was impossible to ever tell what he was thinking. The room was quiet for what felt like hours._

_ "If you decide this, do you understand what you're asking?" Elijah finally broke the silence. _

_She slowly nodded. "Yes, my life could possibly be in danger. I could get hurt."_

"_No." He corrected. "If this is truly what you want, I will never let anyone harm you. No one will touch you. I promise." _

_Hayley's breath caught in her throat. "Don't make promises you can't keep."_

"_I have every intention of doing so…come on let's get you home." _


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok so this chapter is a little bit shorter than the rest. SORRY! But I don't want to force anything. If my imagination stops the story there, it's probably for a good reason. Anyways, review, review, review. Questions, concerns, likes, dislikes. I LOVE IT. I included a link with a picture of Hayley's house. (In the future I'll be doing this a lot. I kind of write like I'm watching a movie in my head so there will be lots of visuals). Obviously, it's summer in this story so there wouldn't be snow. But you get the point people.**

.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Forest-Park-HDR-2_

**Music**

**In Every Sunflower - Bell X1 (When Elijah makes a phone call)**

**Canadian Girl - The Walkmen**

**Breeze - Apollo Sunshine**

* * *

><p>"Dear brother, what could you possibly be thinking about that would stop you from noticing I'm in the room?" Elijah didn't even bother turning around to acknowledge Klaus. To him, the best way to handle his little brother was by treating him like a child. If you didn't entertain him and ignored him completely, he would eventually go away. This usually worked…most of the time. The present moment was no one of those times. Klaus sat down in the other chair facing the fire that so happened to be right next to Elijah. But of course he sat in it sideways his legs hanging off the left side so he could face Elijah.<p>

"Our dear mother has decided to throw a ball. I thought I'd break the news."

"As if I would participate in such a mundane activity." He countered.

"Yes, that is exactly what I told mother when I heard! It's funny that you say that, seeing as you're the most human of us all, Elijah. Even Finn, whose very self-hatred makes him inhuman." He looked at his older brother for a reaction, one that he never received. Klaus continued, deciding he wouldn't be satisfied until he got one. "Really, I'm curious, what were you daydreaming about?" He asked with a devilish grin, his signature look if anything.

"Nothing of interest to you, Klaus."  
>"Oh, I beg to differ."<p>

"That was just my way of telling you that it is none of your business."

"Oh come on! It will be a bonding experience, brother to brother!"

With that Elijah rushed over to him grabbing him by the collar. Klaus only smiled more, finally getting what he wanted. "Do you really think you have the right to call yourself our brother, after you deceived and daggered us all? You killed the very woman that brought us into this world and made us what we are. None of us owe you anything, _you_ owe us." With that, Klaus' smile slowly turned into a scowl. He pushed Elijah off of him, who in return left the room.

Elijah ripped open the front door, entering into the night. He walked far enough into the woods behind the mansion that he knew he wouldn't be overheard. Slowly, he took out his cellphone and stared at the dials. Before he could stop himself, he was dialing the number.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

"Hello?" Elijah put his hand over his eyes. "Hello? Is anyone there?" People were talking in the background. "Where the hell is the area code 404 from?" He heard her ask someone. She hung up.

_ "It's this one right here." Hayley pointed out to Elijah. He pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. Before she could even unbuckle her seatbelt, he was opening her car door. She grabbed her backpack and led the way to the front door, Elijah followed silently. _

_ He observed her house. It was a typical middle class home. Her neighborhood was filled with trees and forest preserve sat behind her house. It made him a little uneasy. _A perfect place for vampires and werewolves to be found,_ he told himself. _

_ Hayley meanwhile was desperately searching for her keys in the black hole that was her bag. Finally, she unlocked the door. As she went in, Elijah stopped. He stood patiently with his hands in his pockets. She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "You're kidding me? That's a real thing." She laughed while Elijah glared._

_ "You can't come inside unless I invite you." He just nodded, utterly annoyed with how much she enjoyed the concept. She eyed him, "Should I let you in?"_

_ "Just so we're clear, if you do invite me in, I can come and go as I please. You can not withdraw the invitation. I'm sure all the movies have mislead you."_

_ "Elijah, will you please come in." Hayley curtsied and dramatically waved her arms in a welcoming gesture. He smirked as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. At the sound a dog came running towards them. A chocolate lab that seemed very excited to see Hayley. "Roscoe!" She said as she knelt down before him. The lab immediately responded with licking her face. Then he noticed Elijah standing next to them. Just before Elijah thought the dog couldn't get more excited, it rushed over to him demanding to be pet. _

_ "He's not much of a guard dog. If anything, he'll lick you to death." Hayley laughed as she watched Elijah pet Roscoe. "I'm going to change, I'll be right back." She hurried upstairs and around the corner to what he assumed was her bedroom. He walked into the house further, ending up in the kitchen. Roscoe tailed him the whole time. Minutes later Hayley came swooping back down the stairs in running shorts, a crew-cut sweatshirt, and her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. _

_ "Is your knee feeling any better?" He pointed at her right knee that was swollen and bruised purple. _

_ "Yeah, I don't think I'll be able to run on it for awhile though…which is unfortunate." She sighed. The phone ringing interrupted their conversation._

_ Of course, being a vampire, Elijah could hear both ends of the phone._

_ "Hello?" Hayley greeted._

_ "Oh, so you pick up the phone now?" Said a female voice._

_ "Yes, I should get an award."_

_ "I called the house about five times yesterday."_

_ "I never answer the house phone. If you really wanted to get a hold of me you would have just called my cell, which you didn't." _

_ "What are you eating? It better not be pizza every night."_

_ "Ok listen, Lisa, I happen to make the most gourmet ramen noodles in the world so you can rest assure I'm getting my daily dose of sodium and __dihydrogen monoxide."_

_ With that, the girl on the other end started laughing. Hayley looked up to see Elijah staring attentively. She smiled and mouthed "Sorry" to him. He shook his head to show he didn't mind._

_ "Alright well I was just checking in to make sure you didn't die." Hayley's smile immediately disappeared and Elijah could hear her heart beating faster._

_ "Yep, still alive. I'll talk to you later, Lisa. Love you. Bye." She hung up the phone. Slowly she turned to Elijah, feeling weird that he'd been listening to her conversation._

"_Sorry about that. My sister, Lisa, feels bad about me being here by myself all the time so she thinks she needs to constantly call."_

_ "Do you mind staying here all by yourself?" Elijah countered._

_ "Psh…What? No. I'm living every teenager's dream." Hayley waved her hand in a shooing motion. "Do you get lonely living in all your "estates" alone?"_

_ "No, I don't mind being by myself."_

_ "That's not what I asked. I didn't question if you liked being by yourself, I asked if you were lonely. There's a difference." She looked at him, honestly interested._

_ "No." _

_ Her face dropped a little. It was obviously not the answer she was looking for._

_ "I actually must be going. I have…"_

_ "Business to attend to?" She finished._

_ "Yes."_

_ "Is this it then? Will I never see you again?"_

_ "No. I'll be staying in touch." Elijah smiled at her heart's reaction. _

_It was the only guide that gave him any clues as to what she was thinking. It was so unbearably hard to read her. She laughed to shelter her thoughts and smiled to hide her secrets. Maybe that was what really caught his eye at the coffee shop yesterday. He was one of the few that knew there were secrets to be discovered behind those eyes of hers. And Elijah was one of the few, maybe even the first, to try and actually figure her out. _

_ "Just curious…will these visits be anticipated or will I have a heart attack every time you find your inner Edward Cullen?"_

_ Elijah gave her a disgusted look at the mention of the fictional character. "To even reference the two of us in the same sentence is appalling. I promise you, I am nothing like that sad excuse of a vampire."_

_ Hayley smiled. "You're going to have to prove that to me." Within a split second, Elijah had raced behind Hayley, fangs bared and eyes black. His mouth was at her neck. Hayley's entire body was frozen in shock by how fast everything happened. However, instead of feeling a sting of pain in her flesh, she felt him gently brush her neck with a kiss. It was so light and harmless; Hayley almost believed she'd imagined it. She turned around to see Elijah back to normal with an entertained and wicked expression. She was anything but amused._

_ "Did I make my point?" He asked._

_ "Get out." She hissed._

_ "I look forward to seeing you again, Hayley. I'll let myself out."_


	6. Chapter 6

**So since last nights chapter was so short I updated really quickly, but this one is even shorter. LOL. You guys must hate me. But just a forewarning, this chapter is a little different from the rest. It's dark and very one sided. I wanted to open up Hayley to you guys a little more, and just kind of get you guys to understand her. I hope it wasn't too much of a stretch. Xoxo.**

**Music**

**Cold Water - Damien Rice**

__**Hundred - The Fray**

* * *

><p><em>Hayley did what any average teenager usually did on a summer day. Nothing. Well, to her, it felt like a lot. She made herself some scrambled eggs for breakfast, took Roscoe for a walk, and then threw on a bathing suit to tan in her backyard. She interpreted it as the utmost fulfilling day.<em>

_As the sun blinded her, a thought occurred. Elijah had been out in the daylight multiple times while with her. He didn't burn, nor did he sparkle. As soon as her mind made the sparkle reference, she thought of twilight and the horrible reaction Elijah had when she brought it up earlier. Hayley got mad all over again. His determination to prove how he truly was vampire by nature irritated her. It annoyed her because he was easily successful at catching her off guard, something she wasn't used to from the opposite gender. But it also annoyed her because a part of her knew it was sort of an act. No, act wasn't a good word to describe it. Elijah seemed to only acknowledge the predator inside of him, never accepting any other part of himself. But without him noticing, the other parts showed through, barely, but yet still visible to Hayley. It was like the slits of light that were never shut out of the room when the window shades were closed. _

_ Hayley looked down at her body. Why did she ever bother trying to tan? She was born pale and Mother Nature never seemed to want her to change that. As she looked down at her long legs, her knee stood out. God, her knee looked so awful. She hoped it would improve before her parents come home otherwise she'd have to lie, not that she wasn't good at lying. Usually, she was a remarkable liar._

_ On the ground, next to her, Hayley's phone buzzed. Her friend Janet was texting her. "Where were you last night? We went to the movies but you never answered our texts." Her fingers slid across the touch screen effortlessly._

_ "Sorry, I got back from down town and passed out I was so tired from class."_

_ The worst part about her lying skills: the genuine lack of guilt that followed. If Elijah thought she was better off not knowing anything than she was obviously thinking the same thing for her best friends. Besides, she had promised never to speak of anything to anyone. She could always tell her friends about Elijah and leave out the whole millennium old vampire part. But it would never sound normal, no matter what. Society would never accept the two of them together, even as friends. No story would ever be credible as to why they merely associated with one another. Pop culture made vampires seem so simple and exciting. Vampire falls in love with mortal; they pass as human, the two live happily ever after. Nothing about this situation was simple._

_Elijah didn't love her and she didn't love him. Love was thrown around too much. Hayley loved her studded flats; she rarely loved people. It sounded horrible and exaggerated but it was disturbingly true. She found it so much easier to hate than to open her heart up to love. _

_It took a brave soul to take her on. She didn't mean to, and she'd convinced herself that it wasn't her doing. When others had abused her trust, Hayley decided she needed to change. After being hurt too many times, she took a step back and decided something needed to change. When lost in deep thoughts, Hayley often asked what made her change. But it wasn't one person, one guy that destroyed her. In movies and books, it's always that big moment where that horrible tragedy changes someone for the rest of their life. But it's not realistic. Not everyone has their heart broken or their life damaged in an instant. _

_Sometimes the little things are so persistent, they harm you more. Hayley's life wasn't a big stab from a knife one day; she woke up everyday knowing she'd get a little cut somehow. When you think about it, which one do you think would mess you up more, all the pain at once or spread out over an unbearable amount of time?_

_Weak wasn't a word to describe her. No, she was the opposite. Hayley was strong. No one in her life saw her struggles. Even her sister, Lisa, her best friend would miss it most of the time. _

_She didn't wake up feeling sorry for herself, or cry herself to sleep at night. She put others feelings and problems before her own. She preferred it that way, her asking the emotional questions instead of them asking her. _

_Her outlook on life was simple: if someone really loved her, she would truly believe it now. Her façade was so strong, her armor so thick, that she would know if someone broke through it, they really loved for her. And although it would be hard, she would try her hardest to let her guard down and love them just as much._

_Except no one ever got there. People gave up on her just when she thought they would breach her walls. They hardly ever even tried. _

_Hayley sighed, and gave up on tanning. Her skin was porcelain silver and nothing would change that. _


	7. Chapter 7

__**Too tired and lazy to do my usual shpeel. Hope you like it.**

**Music**

**Month of May - Arcade Fire (running)**

**When You Find Me - Joshua Radin**

* * *

><p><em>Elijah was traveling all over town, researching where the moonstone and doppelgänger could possibly be. He couldn't let a girl distract his one goal that kept him moving. Although he did find himself caring about her more as the days went by. Elijah thought about her more and more everyday. The whole thing was unacceptable. Desperately, he tried everything to distract his thoughts from wandering to her. It had been three days since he'd seen her, leaving her upset with him for alarming her. Three days too long, Elijah caught himself thinking.<em>

_ He recalled the way she looked at him when she expected he would bite her. The thought of him biting her was unspeakable to Elijah. Amongst vampires, it was common to keep humans around as basically a walking blood bag. But he would never do such a thing to Hayley. He found sustenance in other ways, not even able to bare the thought of harming her in any way, even if it was for his own personal gain. _

_ It was Wednesday and Hayley was painfully bored. Her friends were all working that night and she couldn't sit and watch another repeat of _Keeping Up With the Kardashians_. The sunset had begun and the temperature was finally dropping. She looked over to see her neon Nike Frees sitting next to the door. She glanced down at her knee. The bruising had faded a little causing certain parts of her skin to turn green as the purple dulled. _

_ Subconsciously, Hayley started getting up and putting on her Nikes. Screw the damn knee; she needed to run. She had a black sweatshirt on, and threw up the hood. It was something she did a lot, a sort of security blanket. When she got sick of being in the world, her hood made her feel like she was taking a step back and no one could notice her. The sad part: most of the time, it worked. Shoving her ear buds in, she blasted music to get her heart moving and slammed her back door shut behind her._

_ In her black hoodie and red shorts, Hayley started walking to the path in the forest behind her house. The sun had already begun to set and animals were rushing around. Once she got to the path she started running at a quick pace. One of the trails would eventually lead to a hill that overlooked the forest and a small lake at the bottom. She liked to go there to think. It was usually secluded and most people didn't have the energy to haul themselves all the way to the top. When she was above it all it made it easier to clear her mind. The changed view made her gain perspective on things that troubled her mind. It was a mile and a half to get to the hill and then another mile and a half to get back to her house. _

_ Her knee already started to protest but Hayley ignored it and just pushed herself harder. Once she got to the foot of the hill, she broke into a sprint. At the top, her lungs begged for air as she put her hands on top of her head. The bottom tip of the sun was hitting the horizon. After Hayley caught her breath, she sat with her arms draped over her knees and mused. For strange reasons, Elijah kept squeezing his way to her thoughts. Hayley wondered when she would see him next. He had all the time in the world; a short period of time could be months, even years, for him while it was days for Hayley. The thought of seeing him somewhat excited her, and it made her upset. _

_ Minutes passed like seconds and the sun was past the horizon, beyond view. Officially twilight, Hayley decided it was time to head back. She started running at a slower pace, feeding her knees desires. Her music was blasting, but something in her awareness made her slow down to a walk. Pulling out her headphones she frantically looked around when she grasped how abnormally quiet the forest was. _

_ Breaking the silence, a twig snapped behind her. Something wasn't right. Hayley got the same intuition as the night Elijah saved her life from that vampire. She forced her legs into a sprint that would put most people to shame. Hoping her sudden change in pace would throw whatever was watching her off. _

_It was clear someone was definitely following her, and they stopped trying to be quiet. Branches were cracking and leaves were crunching under their feet as they trailed her. Jumping over a log, she tried to take a short cut back to her house that meant paving through weeds and branches. Finally breaking from the woods, her feet finally got the pavement it wanted. Running, a part of her relaxed a little at the sight of her house._

_No lights were on inside since Hayley left while the sun was still up. She flung open her door and bolted the lock the instant it was closed. Her eyes frantically scanned the woods behind her house but her human eyes were misreading shadows for standing figures and overlooking movement that was too fast to catch. As she continued to survey outside, she grabbed a knife from the kitchen. _

_Hearing a sound behind her she flung with the knife drawn-out in her hand. Someone hand already grabbed the knife from her hand. She never had a chance._

"_Hayley, it's just me." The moonlight showed their face. _

"_Elijah!" She couldn't control her heavy breathing. She was still trying to catch her breath from sprinting there. Air got caught on her dry throat, refusing to let her talk properly. _

"_Were you… just in the woods?" She was bent over with her shaking hands on her kneecaps desperate trying to breath in more here._

"_No. What's wrong? What happened?" He asked anxiously. When she was unable to give him a response instantly, his eyes started scanning her body to see if she had been harmed. He let out a breath when he saw nothing and smelled no blood._

"_You swear you weren't following me in the woods." _

"_Why would I do that? Hayley, you're shaking."_

"_I know. I can't stop. I went running and on my way back I could hear…no…I could _feel_ someone watching me, following me. I sprinted back here and know something was behind me. And then you showed up… I thought maybe it was you."_

"_No, it wasn't me. It couldn't have been a vampire, there's no way you could outrun one. They would catch you in a second." _

"_Something was chasing me, I know it. And I think it was watching me from outside before you got here." She looked at her hand convulsing. _

_Elijah looked outside heatedly. "Hayley, stay inside the house." He opened the door and rushed out into the woods in a blur. Once she lost track of him, she slowly slid down the wall into a sitting position hugging her knees. She heard the door gently open as Elijah walked back inside._

"_Whatever was out there is gone. And I couldn't find a scent or tracks."_

_He looked down at her to see that she was staring at the ground, not paying any attention to what he was saying. He slowly sat down next to her on the wall._

"_Are you okay?" He asked gently._

"_Yeah, I don't know why, I was just…" She stopped._

"_Scared?" He offered. She turned to look at him for what felt like the first time since he found her. Elijah realized she didn't want to admit it. The fear in her eyes was a sign of weakness for her, and she refused to show that to him._

"_My hands won't stop shaking." She observed instead of agreeing with him._

"_How far did you just run?" _

"_About a mile and a half." Hayley answered as she continued to open and close her fists to see if it would stop the trembling. Elijah grabbed her hand in his own and gently soothed her by rubbing his thumb over hers. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you…for being here."_

"_Of course."_

"_I'm a mess, I'm going to hop in the shower." She took in a deep breath before she pushed herself off the ground. As he heard her slowly go upstairs and shut the bathroom door he got up. Following her scent, he found Hayley's room. The walls were a charcoal grey and her small bed sat in the middle with black covers messed and twisted. He walked over to her desk and saw a mass amount of drawings scattered everywhere. And on the wall there was a giant board with a hundred photographs thumb nailed. Below the board was a shelf of books. There were barely a few young adult novels, mostly the classics that she talked about the first day they met: Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, and Oscar Wilde. _

"_I guess we're even now." Hayley walked into the room in boxer shorts and a tank top with her hair wetly combed. "Although, my room is a little more personal than yours so it's a little unfair."_

"_Did you do all of these?" He motioned to the drawings and photos._

"_Yeah. The photos are pretty mediocre. I have a point and shoot digital camera and stole my mom's old 25mm. I can't really do a lot between the two." She stood next to him. Even with her tall frame, he always made her feel so small. _

"_You know, I don't really show these to people." Hayley said._

"_And why is that?" _

"_They're a little personal and I like keeping them to myself." She shrugged._

"_I apologize for the invasion of privacy."_

"_Yeah, well I guess I'll just have to kill you now."_

"_Good luck with that."_

"_It's possible isn't it? I mean… I can't exactly rip out your heart. But what about stakes or holy water?" Hayley sat at the top of her bed, her head resting on the headboard as she spoke._

"_I can't be killed with a stake. I can't be killed at all, only neutralized."_

"_What does that mean?"_

"_There is a special dagger, if dipped in the ash of a particular tree, can technically kill me as long as it's kept daggered. If taken out, I will wake up." _

"_You really are immortal. Why are you different than the others?" She responded with wonder. He shifted as she asked the question. There was so much to it than she expected. He took in a deep breath before he told her the whole story of his family and how they were the original vampires of the world. As Elijah told his history he sat on the other side of his bed while Hayley sat upright, soaking in every word he said. After what seemed like an hour, Elijah had finished. He told her anything worth telling about Kol, Finn, Rebekah, and Klaus, but chose to leave out everything about Klaus and his demonic ways of destroying their family._

"_You really love your family." Hayley stated after a few moments._

"_That I do. While the world changed and people died, our family stayed together. We were all each other ever had."_

"_Where are they? Why aren't you all together?" She questioned. Elijah hadn't initially planned on ever telling her about that. But all he wanted was to answer all of her questions. It pleased him how interested she was in him. He took in a big breath before opening a whole other part of him to her._

"_My brother, Klaus, daggered them all and threw their coffins to sea." _

"_Why would he do that to his own family?" She almost yelled._

"_My brother Klaus is compulsive, mad, and selfish. I would never be able to describe his character well enough for you to ever fully understand him."_

"_Is that who you were talking about when you said there were people in the world more dangerous than you?"_

"_Yes."_

"_There's something you're not telling me, I can tell."_

"_Maybe some other time. You have heard enough about me for tonight. And you have successfully avoided talking about yourself since the day I met you."_

_Hayley scrunched her nose at that. "That's because I don't like talking about myself. Especially to original vampires who have way more interesting stories." She paused before saying, "Elijah, I'm sorry about your family. It must be hard going through life without the people who truly know who you are."_

"_You're avoiding talking about yourself again." For once, he felt uncomfortable. He wasn't used to people showing him empathy or caring in general. He was looking outside her window into the forest, deciding that he couldn't handle the sadness in her eyes when hearing his story._

"_Elijah." He looked at her, she had moved away from her spot on the bed to sit next to him. Her hand went over his hugging it, her only way of comforting him. In moments like these, Hayley never knew what to say. She wasn't a person of words. That's why she told herself she was always painting, drawing, and taking photographs. Her artwork said all the things she couldn't. _

"_I mean it. I'm sorry."_

"_It's an odd feeling to me, having a human feel sorry for me." He said with a sad smile. With that, Hayley intertwined her fingers with his, rubbing his hand with her thumb just like he had earlier. _

"_Maybe because you usually eat them instead of talking to them."_

_He teasingly glared at her. Without being able to control it, Hayley yawned. She was exhausted. The sounds and terror from before came rushing back into her mind. Elijah watched as he saw she was no longer mentally in the room. _

"_What are you thinking about?" Elijah questioned._

"_Nothing. I'm fine, I was just zoning out. It happens a lot." She laughed. "When I was younger, almost every parent-teacher conference consisted of my teachers telling my parents I was overly imaginative and daydreamed too much. They said I couldn't focus when I didn't find class interesting and it was unacceptable."_

"_What did your parents think?" _

"_They just bought me more coloring books and markers and hoped I'd grow out of it." Hayley shrugged. "Clearly, I didn't…such a success." She added sarcastically._

"_I'm glad you didn't grow out of it." Hayley's body betrayed her once more by letting out an even bigger yawn. "I'll let you go to bed."_

"_Will you stay until I fall sleep?"_

"_Of course." He said smiling at her. But little did she know, he planned on staying all night. After finding her in hysterics, he didn't want to leave her alone again. He was confused as to what chased her. But he know one thing, Hayley wouldn't be allowed to take any runs into the forest any time soon._


	8. Chapter 8

**I ridiculously apologize for how short this chapter is and how long it took me to put it up. This is my week before springbreak and all my professors are throwing shit at me. LITERALLY...just kidding lol. But I have 2 big midterms so I should probably focus on those...Anyways good news, I have springbreak so I'll be able to write some solid stuff. GET EXCITED FOOLS! Thank you to everyone who reviews this story. Every time i get an e-mail, it makes my day. SERIOUSLY.**

**Alright, so please be patient. Please. Love you guys. XOXO**

**Music**

**It's A Process - Mychael Danna (Elijah looking at book)**

**From Finner - Of Monsters & Men**

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><p>All the Mikaelson siblings were preparing for the extravagance soon to come. Hired hands were bustling about, desperately trying to get things ready in time. Elijah shined his shoes; Rebekah got her nails done, plus Kol and Finn being fitted into their tuxes. Elijah only played along to with it all to please his mother. The last thing he wanted to do was throw a ball. Yes, being reunited with his family was worth a celebration but his enthusiasm for the dramatic and unnecessary charades uninterested him.<p>

Klaus came storming in, yelling at his sister for already trying to kill Elena. If it were not for Elijah, she would surely be dead under Rebekah's hand. Of course, Kol got involved. Finn and Elijah too bored with their immature ways to bother picking sides. Plus, everyone knew it wouldn't be Klaus' side to be chosen. But their mother asking to speak with Klaus stopped his sibling's argument. Elijah smiled at the ridiculousness. Not even together for a day and they were already acting like the children they should have grown out of long ago. No matter the time, siblings would always be siblings. His smile disappeared when something on the coffee table to his right caught his eye. It was a sketchbook, Klaus' sketchbook. Without thinking, he picked it up and began eyeing his brother's drawings. But he wasn't actually registering them. His fingers continued to flip through the pages and his eyes skimmed, except his mind was elsewhere. Why must his cursed brother have the same hobby as her? Her face dripped into his vision like a drug, clouding all of his thoughts so he couldn't focus on anything but her.

"What are you doing with my sketchbook?" Klaus interrupted Elijah's dose, sobering him into reality. He looked at his older brother annoyed and quite mad. Klaus' private drawings were always like a diary to him, to look at them without permission was inexcusable. Even more he had in common with her. Elijah started feeling sick with the similarities he was making between the two.

"Excuse me?" Elijah was still trying to clear his head.

"I asked why you have my sketchbook in your hands." He replied curtly.

Elijah shook is head and shoved the book into Klaus' chest as he quickly left the room. All of his younger siblings watched him leave with confused looks.

"What the bloody hell has been the matter with him?" Klaus growled. Not that his mood so much concerned him, the fact that he couldn't figure it out for the life of him is what bothered the hybrid. He looked at the rest of his siblings to see if they had any clue. Finn didn't even acknowledge him, Kol shrugged, but as he looked at his only sister she had a concentrated stare. She caught something Klaus had overlooked. He became excited and also mad she figured it out first.

"Rebekah?" Klaus stated.

She quickly looked at him, her concentration shattered. "I was just thinking the same thing. Elijah's being a bore and ruining all the fun for the rest of us."

_Liar_, he thought.


	9. Chapter 9

__**YAY NEW CHAPTER! lol. I'm going to try and do a lot of writing over spring break, I will be stuck alone with my parents. OH GOD! Get excited kids. As always, review, review, review and I will love you forever. **

**Here's the dress I was talking about, fools.**

** _.?id=23395015&color=066&itemdescription=true&navAction=jump&search=true&isProduct=true&parentid=W_APP_DRESSES_**

**__Music**

**Am I Just One - Carey Ott**

**All We Ask - Grizzly Bear**

**New Slang - The Shins**

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><p><em>The sun was gradually starting to rise above the trees outside Hayley's window. For some reason she started to come out of her slumber, even though her usual summer wake up time was still hours away. She sat up looking around her room; empty as usual. Elijah was gone, which she expected. Hayley had only asked him to stay until she fell asleep. It was peace of mind until she fell asleep and her dreams distracted her from the troubles of reality<em>

_Every night was a struggle to get sleep. Insomnia had become a great friend of hers. They would watch TV or movies together, late night eat, but most of all, they would paint. Painting was always Hayley's favorite at night. It made her feel like she was living in the 17__th__ century, doing her work beside candlelight. _

_No, sleep and her didn't get along very well. Hayley tried recalling when she stopped being able to sleep; always deciding it had been a gradual thing. Over time, she learned to just deal with it and even stop seeing it as a problem. But last night, with Elijah, her body simply relaxed. It had been awhile since that happened. _

_Rays of daylight hit her backyard in scattered clusters. The forest would only allow a little light to leak through. There was a morning mist that lingered over the grass almost looking like smoke. Hayley couldn't decide if it looked romantic or haunting. She liked the idea of both. Her 25mm that she took from her mom was sitting on her desk. She tossed her covers to the side and grabbed the camera with a new cartridge of film already inside. The stairs creaked under her footsteps as she went downstairs to the houses line of windows looking to her deck and the forest beyond. She froze at the bottom of the stairs. Elijah was looking out the windows, arms crossed. She knew he had sensed her presence but he didn't acknowledge her yet. Before she changed her mind, she took a picture of him looking out at the yard. With the click of her camera, he finally turned to look at her._

"_Sorry, that was probably really creepy but I couldn't help myself."_

_Elijah smirked. "I'm surprised you're up so early."_

"_I'm surprised you're still here." She countered._

_He slowly strolled over to her so that he was barely a foot away. It shouldn't have, but Hayley's pulse sped up just slightly at the closing separation between them. Elijah looked her up and down, not with hunger but with longing. But Hayley completely overlooked his expression as being so meaningful. She was still in her white tank top and boxer shorts from last night. Expecting to wake up to an empty house, she hadn't bothered even looking in the mirror yet. Her fingers ran through her crazy hair self-consciously while she cleared her throat and looked at the ground. As a result, her hair fell all to one side, almost acting like a curtain to her eyes. It gave her the courage to look back up at Elijah. She was met with him giving her that look again. Never able to put a finger on what to call it, he was the only one to ever present it to her. _

_He was wearing the same outfit from last night, of course. She observed his grey suit, light blue shirt, and green and blue plaid tie. Then she glanced at her own attire: pajamas. They were such different people and their clothes made it blatantly obvious. Standing next to him, she felt so normal and ordinary. He'd lived so many lifetimes and through every golden age anyone could argue. And here she was, just a teenage girl standing in her boxers realizing she was a friend of a vampire that could easily pass as a model and an assassin at the same time. If Elijah could hear her thoughts, his would most definitely disagree._

"_Did you plan on doing anything today?" Elijah interjected her comparisons._

"_What?" _

"_Are you busy today?" He asked again._

"_Um…no. Why?" His question made her tense._

"_Good. I want to take you somewhere." _

"_What…wait, I…" She flustered, trying to think of any imaginable excuse for why she couldn't go wherever he planned. _

"_I am surprised you couldn't conceive a lie faster. I was starting to believe you were quite a good liar." He smiled at the shocked glare she was emanating. _

"_I am a good liar." She indicated. _

"_Well then, what seems to be the problem?" His hands were in his pockets and his head tilted to the side, challenging her._

"_You." Hayley replied honestly. Her brow still furrowed into a glare aimed at him. It was meant to make him uncomfortable but he couldn't deny that all it did was make her look more adorable than threatening. To other's she was seen as intimidating and emasculating, but Elijah was immune._

"_Hayley, you eat ramen noodles and eggs every day. There will be real food…" He stopped and thought for a second. "…And coffee. There will be lots of coffee." He saw her eyes light up a bit at the coffee part, knowing they would. A weakness of hers, he'd perceived. "I promise I have nothing but honorable intentions." He finished seriously._

"_Give me a few minutes to put some real clothes on." _

"_Bring your camera." It was his only response to his small victory._

_Fifteen minutes later, Hayley slowly walked down the stairs. She was wearing a white lace dress and chestnut oxford flats. The only thing she could do to tame her hair was force a headband through it. Her camera was slung over her shoulder, along with a small purse. He stared, unable to tear his eyes away from her. She looked down at herself, scared there was a stain or something._

"_What?" She asked concerned._

"_Nothing. Shall we?" She nodded and started walking to the door. Once outside, Elijah's Audi waited in the driveway. Walking to the passenger's side she looked up to see that Elijah was already opening the door. _

_She laughed a little. "I guess I'll have to get used to that."_

_Closing the door and getting into the driver's seat Elijah looked over at her. "Get used to what?" He honestly didn't know what she was talking about. His noble ways were second nature to him. They existed as a part of him when he was human and were only magnified once he became a vampire. _

"_The whole opening doors for me and everything." Hayley said as she put a piece of hair behind her ear. Something she did without realizing, but it caught Elijah's attention every time. _

_He looked at her confused once he registered her words. "I admit that I've noticed a lack of nobility with each generation. Surely it isn't that unusual?"_

_She just looked at him as a smile slowly spread across her mouth. It was one of the few she showed that was sincere. As if she could sense the genuine reaction replacing the forced, she stopped smiling and looked forward._

"_So where are we going?" She asked as she twiddled her thumbs._

"_It's a secret."_

_At that, her eyes rolled. "Are you going to blind-fold me too?"_

"_That can be arranged."_

"_How about no." _

"_Very well." He smiled as he started the car and drove to their destination._

_Hayley stared out the window as he drove. Every so often, Elijah would glance over at her. He suspected that she trusted him just a tiny bit more than when they first met. It was barely a big enough change to call significant, but change it was. Beams of sunlight perfectly hit her face. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the seat, soaking it all in. _

"_So this is it then?" She said._

"_This is what?" He asked curiously with his eyes still on the road._

"_This is when you finally kill me." Hayley answered, eyes still closed._

_Elijah sighed; sick of the joke she constantly pulled. "Will you ever cease with your comments concerning me murdering you?" _

_He looked over to see her smiling knowing she had no intention of answering. In that moment, she reminded him of Klaus. She said things to get a reaction out of people then judged it, using it to see their true character. In fact Hayley and his brother were more similar than Elijah would like to admit. She was charming, like Klaus, and could probably use her charm on anyone by merely talking on the phone. And even though he hated to acknowledge it, they both had a part of them they were hiding. Although Klaus shut it off, there was a side of him that _could_ care. That didn't mean he allowed it to be a part of him. However, it came out so rarely and with a snap that if you blinked, you would miss it. Hayley was the same, but she didn't cover it up with so much evil and treachery. Instead, she disguised it with sarcasm and a false lack of concern for anything. But Elijah caught her slips, like when she talked to her sister or even when she would text one of her best friends. _

"_What are you thinking about?" While he was preoccupied, Elijah didn't notice that the tables had turned and now Hayley watched him intently._

"_You remind me of someone." He replied quietly._

"_Well, there goes my originality." She laughed. _

"_We're here." Elijah said before she could ask any more questions. _


	10. Chapter 10

**Ok so I am on springbreak and my bitch of a hotel doesn't have free wireless. IT'S FUCKING $15! But my wonderful mother has this wifi thing she uses for work. But she was holding out on me for 2 days! WHAT IS THIS! LOL. So there's my lame excuse for why it took me so long to get this up. I would like to give a shout out to LetsGoDanceing17! They gave me the best feedback and most wonderful review. **

**Music**

**Tiger Mountain Peasant Song – Fleet Foxes**

**Holocene – Bon Iver**

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><p><em>Hayley looked outside to see they were in a town she'd never been before. How long had they been in the car? They must have gone far since they were at the towns harbor and she couldn't think of any lakes that were close by, besides Lake Michigan. It was absolutely beautiful. The rising sun made the water almost white from reflection. Boats were harbored for what looked like a block and a half. At the last boat sat a red and white lighthouse. A road ran through the downtown make the lake and harbor one side and a strip of stores on the other. Water hitting the wooden boardwalk put Hayley at ease. How could she not know such a peaceful place was so close by? She felt like she was on the coast of northern Washington than in the flat state of Illinois. <em>

_The early morning light was perfect for her camera. She instantly started snapping photographs. Ten minutes had already gone by when she remembered Elijah was still there. Embarrassed by her eagerness and how easily distracted she could become, she turned back around to find him. He was leaning against the car, with his arms folded, watching her. Through a bright smile, she took a picture of him. He let his head fall, laughing a little. Hayley skipped over to him even letting out a little giggle as she reached him. Everything about it seemed so unlike her. It warmed Elijah's heart to see what she was like when truly happy._

_ "You're not supposed to be taking pictures of me." He stated._

_ "So that's why we're here, to take pictures?" _

_ "No, _you're_ here to photograph, not me. I'm just observing." He reassured._

_ She eyed him, waiting for the catch. But there never was one with Elijah. He said what he meant and meant what he said. Hayley sighed and did a slow 360 observing the environment again before she faced him again. "Where are we? I didn't know a town like this even existed around here."_

_ "With immortality, you learn to look beyond the advertised big cities and develop the patience to find hidden gems such as this. Do you like it?" All she could do was strongly nod her head yes, knowing that if she tried to use words it would ruin the moment. As soon as something caught her eye she would be on the run. _

_ She'd already changed her cartridge twice. Two little boys were playing on the docks; one wore a red raincoat while the other had on yellow. After she took a few shots she noticed the pine forest to the left of the lake's edge. She very much wanted to walk there to get a different angle of the lake and town. But the incident from yesterday still lingered in her memory. In no way was an eternal fear developing, she meekly told herself it was too soon. She slowly began backing away without taking her eyes off the taunting forest. But the movement stopped when she ran into someone. She turned to face Elijah who looked concerned. He had been keeping his distance during her photography escapades but held a watchful eye on her._

_ "What is wrong?" He asked her gently._

_ "Why would something be wrong?" _

_ "Your heart was beating faster and your eyes give you away. You are scared."_

_ Annoyed by how perceptive he could be as a vampire, she scowled. But Elijah wasn't going to give up easily. He stood his ground and eyed her showing that he wouldn't drop the question until she answered honestly._

_ She sighed. "I just…wanted to go take pictures from the forest. But I got over it." He looked over her shoulders at the forest putting together what she really meant. He thought wisely about what to say to her. Her pride wouldn't allow her to verbally admit she was shaken up about yesterday still. If he said just one wrong thing she would push him away in an instant. He had to get her to trust him, to believe that with him nothing would happen to her. The thought of Hayley being afraid turned on certain rage within Elijah. If anyone even threatened to harm her, it would be his or her last act. When he was with her, he was a different person. Apart, he was still the vampire that would do anything to get what he wanted. Still vampire, he forgot the reprehensible part of himself when she was at his side. When she looked at him, she was just looking at him, Elijah. It made him feel…human._

_ He cleared his throat and pointed to the woods. "The view is stunning from the rocks right over there. Shall we?" Hayley looked apprehensive towards the offer. Locking eyes with him, she sensed that relaxing feeling again. With his arm held out for her to take he continued, "It would be a lovely walk." Her arm slipped into his, linking them. The instant the contact was made her heartbeat relaxed and her breathing became regular again. The satisfaction he took from noticing the reaction was indescribable._

_ "What made you bring me here?" Hayley asked, breaking the silence._

_ "As I looked at your photos last night, I was reminded of this place. You have a gift of seeing beauty in things most overlook. I thought you would appreciate this place as much as I do." Her grip on his arm tightened at the compliment he gave so casually. Compliments weren't a completely rare thing to her. But receiving them from Elijah just seemed so different…special. _

_ "How do you do that?" She asked._

_ "I don't believe I understand what you're asking."_

_ "No one has ever thought of doing anything even remotely close to this for me. You make it look easy, like you've known me my whole life."_

_ "Hayley, I think you give me too much credit. This is simply a place I enjoyed and wanted to share with you." He replied modestly and tried to lower his intentions that he really possessed._

_ There was a moment of silence before Hayley paused. Elijah looked over at her questioning why she stopped. She turned to face him. "Whatever your reason was for doing this, thank you. Really, Elijah, it means a lot." Her sincerity caught him off guard. A sarcastic comment was to be expected but her blue green eyes read nothing but truth. Before she could ruin it all, Hayley grabbed his arm again and continued walking. Her body was closer to his now. Consuming his nearness, she tried to reassure herself that she wouldn't regret saying how she actually felt for once._

_ They finally reached the edge of the lake past the town. The forest was right just a few feet behind them while a rocky shore was in front of their feet. Hayley reluctantly herself to let go of Elijah's arm. When they held onto each other, it felt like they were meant to be there. Her body fit next to his so perfectly. What a shame it would have been for them to never meet one another to realize it. _

_ Elijah enjoyed watching her take photos. He didn't understand how a human could snap back in forth from reality to a vision so quickly. She was born with a gift that many lived their whole life trying to acquire. The wind started to pick up and he could easily see her hair was becoming an annoyance to her. She marched over to him._

_ "Hold this?" She said quickly shoving the camera at him. When he obliged she jostled her hair into a messy bun, exposing her neck. The lake and town were behind her in a charming manor. Elijah lifted the viewfinder into his vision and snapped a photo. Hayley's head snapped up. At first she looked mad but she quickly replaced it with a smirk. "The tables have turned. I think I'll take my camera back now." She reached for it but Elijah moved it behind his back away from her reach. Annoyed, she tried to reach behind his back but Elijah had already moved it above his head._

_ Hayley sighed, not enjoying being out of control. Apparently she didn't like having her picture taken either. "Can I please have my camera back?" She asked._

_ "So the photographer doesn't like to be on the other side of the camera?" Elijah taunted as she continued to unsuccessfully get her camera back. Finally fed up with the whole thing she stopped and looked at him with a pout that made him laugh in return._

_ "Can I please have my camera back?" _

_ "If you let me take you to lunch like I promised earlier." He said with that charm picked up from a time that no man today would ever be able to learn or appreciate. _

_ "What if I said I didn't want my camera back and you could go eat lunch by yourself?" She challenged. _

_ Elijah shrugged and looked out at the lake, as if the thought didn't bother him at all. "Well, then I believe you would have to find another way home."_

_ Hayley stepped very close to Elijah. Between their height differences, her eyes met just above his lips. So close, it seemed that she was about to kiss him; she looked at his lips then into his eyes. Elijah underestimated her boldness and raised an eyebrow at her proving he could take anything she threw at him. But he wanted nothing more than to kiss her lips that were within his reach. If it was anyone else and he was his typical self, he wouldn't hesitate. He was used to getting what he wanted and in the usual case he would do anything to get it. Except Hayley was not the usual case. _

_ While he was watching her eyes, she managed to wrap her fingers around her camera in his hand. He could have easily taken it back but he stayed stilled._

_ "You're too much of a gentleman to leave me here. I'm gonna have to call your bluff. Let's go to lunch." She whispered between a sly smile. _


	11. Chapter 11

**SORRY SORRY SORRY. The second half of vacation I was staying with a family friend so I wasn't exactly on my laptop. If you all hate me, you should lol. Thank you LetsGoDancing17, golightlygirl, Trulzxoxo, and Sam0728 for the reviews. You guys are the shit.**

**Music**

**The Cure for Pain - Jon Foreman**

**See How Man Was Made - Josh Ritter**

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><p><em>There was a little restaurant on the boardwalk that sat above the water overlooking the lake and harbored boats. When Elijah asked for a table they put them at the corner of two windows, accommodatingly secluded from the rest of the customers. There was a moment of hesitation Elijah waited to sit down before Hayley. It was a courteous gesture that he did so effortlessly, she hardly noticed. He looked over at her to notice how uncomfortably she looked. Her shoulders were slightly raised and she kept playing with the end of the tablecloth.<em>

_ "So are you going to take a bite of our waitress while I munch on some French fries?" She half laughed looking up at him. _

_ "Contrary to popular belief, vampires can eat quite normally if we also have a sufficient amount of blood in our system." He said looking at the menu. Hayley raised her eyebrows in surprise, not expecting that to be the case._

_ "'Hey Hayley what did you learn today?' 'Oh nothing much dad, just that vampires can eat normal food like any human does.'" She had the mock conversation mostly to herself but Elijah could perfectly hear it from across the table._

_ "Correct me if I'm wrong. But, for some reason, I doubt that's what the average conversation sounds like in your household."_

_ "Yeah, you are right. Actually, conversation in general is rare." She corrected herself. A gloomy sigh came out. Always underestimating him, she didn't realize he would catch it._

_ "What exactly is your family like?" Elijah was honestly curious. His entire time knowing her, not once did they call her. Yes, she'd told him they were away on a long business trip but it didn't seem like it was even close to the first time. Elijah was no expert on parenting, his rearing and life was proof of that. But he couldn't see them as being good parents if they treated Hayley this way._

_ She cringed at the question. Her parents were not a favorite subject to talk about. Looking up at him she measured if he truly cared to hear it._

_ "Do you really want to know?" She winced._

_ "Yes, very much. I believe that your parents tell a great deal about you."_

_ "Ah gosh…where do I start? Umm… they met when they were both working at a competitive law firm. They 'fell in love' or whatever. And they tried the whole typical American family thing. They had my sister and I think they realized that they were never cut out to be parents. It was probably a fun game to them at first, like little kids playing house. And although they will never admit it, I don't think they were ever planning to have another child. Lucky for them, they had my sister to take care of me. I guess they figured we could raise each other and they could go back to being a kid-less couple. Right around the time my mom found out she was pregnant with me; they had already planned on starting their own law firm. They take most of the jobs that no one else wants that involve severe traveling. So as you've probably observed they're rarely home. And now we're just a standard dysfunctional family." She finished sarcastically. Taking a sip of water, she didn't want to look up at Elijah. _

_He was taking in everything she said still. They ignored Hayley as if she was an annoying thorn in their side rather than their own daughter. It explained why she acted the way she did. So used to being treated as if she was unimportant, she never dared to try and open up to anyone. Growing up, she always tried to make her parents happy, and every time she was disappointed when they still failed to acknowledge her. Elijah's first instinct was to tell her he was sorry for what horrible parents she was unfortunately given. But she didn't want sympathy. She was tough and to pity her would be an insult. He understood that. _

_ "Hayley, sometimes we get unsuitable people as parents and it makes us think we did something wrong to deserve them. But it's not your fault."_

_ She had been looking out the window as he spoke to him. But what he was saying caught her attention. Her eyes filled with the sadness that had been built up over her entire life. "Why are you saying that?" She said softly._

_ "Because I don't consider anyone ever has. I hate the thought of you blaming yourself for the absence of concern and love your parents have." _

_ Before she could thank him for saying the thing no one else ever did, their server came over. Hayley sat up straight and turned her attention to the waitress. She quickly ordered a vanilla latte and Elijah ordered a plain black coffee. The waitress smiled and muttered something about coming back to take their order in a little bit. Elijah was too busy staring at Hayley to pay any attention to it._

_ "That must explain why you're so close to your sister." Elijah continued once the waitress had moved on to her other tables._

_ "How do you know that I'm close to my sister?" She gave him a wary look._

_ "Simple, it's the way your voice and mannerisms change when you talk about her. And you seemed openly pleased when you were speaking with her on the phone the other day." The waitress came back with their coffee and asked if they were ready to order. Hayley asked for chocolate chip pancakes and Elijah for eggs benedict. And once again she rushed away, leaving them alone._

_ "You seem waste a lot of energy trying to figure me out." She exhaled. _

_ Elijah tilted his head, wasn't it obvious to her? "Well, I wouldn't have to put forth such an effort if you would merely let your guard down." At that her cheeks blushed a soft pink. It was a rarity, but Elijah decided right then that he would do anything to see it again. _

_Taking a sip of her latte, she seemed to be having an internal battle in her mind. When she looked at Elijah, all she sought to do was tell him anything he wanted to know. But everything in her past and in her gut told her not to let such a thing occur. Every time she allowed herself to open up and just be herself, it never ended how she had anticipated. The other person would never say the right thing or they would disappear altogether when she started to trust them. How could she throw Elijah in that pile though? He'd done nothing wrong to her. Never once did he show signs of abusing her trust or her vulnerabilities. _

If you do what you're thinking, you'll fall for him, _her mind told her. _What do you expect to get out of this? Do you plan on having a vampire for a boyfriend? Maybe take him to prom this year?He's over a thousand years old; it's nothing but trouble. _Hayley told her brain to shut the hell up. From what she'd learned from books and movies, the brain always was the realist. It kept you safe and made it clear when the answer to your problems was easy. The mind made right and wrong seem so simple. But when listening to only your brain, you ended up with a life without risks, a safe life. While her brain told her never to open up to anyone, her heart was telling her that if she should let her guard down to anyone ever again, it should be the man sitting across from her right now. _

_Taking in a deep breath, she leaned forward on the table. "Ok then, what do you want to know?"_

_Elijah didn't smile at her change in defense. He saw how hard it was for her to agree to let him in just a little. No matter what happened between them, if she decided that he no longer deserved a part in her life, he would never let her regret trusting him. _

"_Why do you like photography so much?" He asked after a tick of hesitation._

_She smiled at that one, knowing already how she would respond. It was an easy one to start with and Elijah knew it. "I like seeing things in a different way. If I can take a picture of something so ordinary, that people don't think twice about, and have them take a second glance than I succeeded. Life is short, and most of the time, people move too fast to appreciate the little things that aren't perceived as beautiful." _

_Elijah shook his head at her response. "When you say things like that, I have to remind myself that you're only 17 years old." _

_Because he brought it up, she took the opportunity to ask what she'd been thinking since the day they met. "Why are you so interested in me? You've been alive for so long, met so many people…probably many fascinating and beautiful women. How can anyone catch your eye anymore, especially me?"_

_The question completely caught Elijah off guard. He never imagined that she would view the situation in such a way. Is that really how she thought of a vampire's immortality and how he'd use it? And it was so obvious that the way she viewed herself was distorted. She couldn't believe that she caught the attention of anyone. _

"_I don't think you stand ready to hear the answer quite yet. But I promise, one day I will tell you." He replied graciously. She glared at him, annoyed by his reply. Elijah knew she thought that was his way of getting out of a question he didn't have an answer to. But he knew exactly what he wanted to say; except he knew she wasn't ready to hear it. Then reality was constantly on his mind. The chances of him loving this girl, without anyone getting hurt, were awfully poor. The more time he spent with Hayley, the more he wished to give her any happiness possible. And Elijah couldn't convince himself that it would be found through him. His only reasoning for being in her life this long was for untainted self-seeking reasons. She fascinated him in no way than any other woman had. Hayley enamored him and he simply could not help it._

_Their food had finally arrived but Hayley was no longer interested in eating. She wanted to figure Elijah out. Yes, he'd told her all about his family but that only made her feel the sorrow and loss. She didn't know what made Elijah happy, what he's spent his entire life doing, or just the stupid things, like their favorite color, that you always want to know about somebody you've just met. But the subject of past affections still scratched the service of her mind, fighting its way out into the open. Did she dare open this box up? Although, then she asked herself what the point in pushing it aside for another time was._

_"How many women have you been in love with?" It rushed out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Elijah waited, trying to measure if she was being serious or slightly mocking him. Slowly, he put his silverware down and crossed his arms. _

_ "Two." He said calmly. _Two? Two! _Hayley thought. It almost made it worse. To live a thousand years and only love two women, the stories were either tragic or romantic. She didn't think she was prepared to hear either. Then she became confused at why it bothered her so much. She was jealous! Intimidated by women she knew she could never compare to without even knowing a single thing about her. _

_ "What happened to them?" She continued carefully._

_ "One went missing and the other became a vampire." Elijah became aware of how intimidated Hayley was becoming. "Before I tell you anymore, you must know that it is nothing like what you are picturing right now. It was unrequited love, ending before it began and there is nothing left but wasted emotion." But nothing he said would ease her. _

_ "What were their names?" She murmured._

_ "Tatia and Katarina."_


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry the chapter is a shorter one, but it's where it needed to stop. Hope you guys like it. If you loved me you would review to make me happy. K thanks lol. :)**

**Music**

**Morning Mist - Sebastien Schuller **(Drive Home)

**American Stitches - Richard Walters **(Elijah walks Hayley to door)

**Unlike Me - Kate Havnevik **(Rebekah & Elijah)

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><p><em>It was late afternoon when Elijah and Hayley started their drive back home. Hayley was quiet, lost in her reminiscing thoughts. For the rest of their lunch, he told her the stories of Katarina and Tatia at lunch. She couldn't help but be bothered by it. They were gone, the love smothered long ago. It was not that he loved two women that were alike in both appearance and blood, but the fact that there was probably another doppelgänger out there. The possibility of another lingered over Hayley, taunting her. And if Elijah found her, would he fall in love again, leaving his short-lived fascination with Hayley behind? She understood that he was never really together with either of them, but he loved them still. And Katarina was still out there in the world, breathing an immortal life. <em>

_ As she had been getting into the habit, Hayley tried ignoring her head and listening to her gut instead. And it made her realize that if he were still in love with either of them, he wouldn't have told her. It was obvious to her that something was igniting between them, what it was she might never be able to title. Whatever it may be, it was in its early stages, so fragile that Hayley almost feared it. _

_ The sun was starting to set, the sky getting less and less blue by the minute. She must not have realized how much time had passed while they were away. Although she was difficult to admit it, her time spent that day would probably be the most memorable for the entire summer. She let out a sigh of gist, reminiscing the day._

_ Elijah had been quiet the entire ride. Every so often he would look over at Hayley mistaking her silence as her being asleep. And every time he was surprised to see that she was instead lost in her thoughts and contemplations. Her passenger window was down, causing her hair to flutter around her face. She was so beautiful and he knew she didn't have a clue. Her mind was always somewhere so much deeper that her beauty had no part in her personality or confidence. _

_ His heart sank a little when he turned into Hayley's neighborhood. Thinking back on the time, he couldn't remember a day that he had been so content. There was few times in his long life that the companionship of a specific person could bring him such unexpected pleasure. Pulling into her driveway, he could feel Hayley's body tense up. He hoped she was having the same feelings as him about their parting._

_ After taking the keys out of the ignition, he walked over to Hayley. Walking beside her to the front door, she suddenly felt like this was the end of a date in a stupid romantic comedy. No matter how small her purse was she always struggled to get her keys out. As she hurriedly shuffled through every pocket her hair fell in front of her face but she didn't notice. _

_ Finally grabbing her key, she looked up at Elijah, prepared to say her thanks for everything that day. But when she looked at him, everything in his expression made her heart skip a beat. Before she could regain her thoughts, his hand slowly moved towards her face. Unaware of his intentions, she froze underneath the action. Gently, he tucked the lose piece of hair behind her ear. In return she gave him a nervous smile and looked down at her feet. _

_ "Elijah." She started and looked up to see a tiny smirk appear on his face at hearing her say his name. "Thank you again for today. I'm glad you made me go." Not waiting to hear him reply, she opened her door to a dark and deserted house. After stepping inside and looking around, Elijah's voice brought her attention back. He had moved closer to her with a concerned face. _

_ "Are you certain you will be alright tonight be yourself?"_

_ Hayley brushed the question off, "Yeah, I'll be totally fine." _

_ Elijah looked into her eyes and without breaking his gaze, his hand slipped into her purse, grabbing her phone. His thumb sped across the touch screen before he handed the phone back to Hayley._

_ "If something occurs or you merely get scared, I want you to call me." He made sure she read his face to know he was being completely serious. As she took her phone back their skin touched and her movement had the slightest hesitation. But Elijah's heightened senses made it easy for him to notice._

_ "I'm sure everything will be fine." She assured him. As she once again tried to turn to go further into the house, he grabbed her hand. She immediately felt a rush of warmth across her skin. His hand was so warm. All the vampire myths made her believe it would be so cold. But her hand was ice in comparison; they were always that way. Unsure of what how he expected her to react, all her body allowed her to do was glance at the contact and then look up at him._

_ "Hayley, I'm serious." But she ignored his last comment._

_ "When will I see you again?" She asked. _

_ Elijah couldn't stop the smile from breaking his façade. "Soon. Good night, Hayley." His head gave the slightest nod as he turned away and strode back to his car. After she closed the door, she walked over to the window and watched his car pull away and drive out of her sight. Sighing, she began turning on lights in her empty and dark home._

* * *

><p>Guests were starting to arrive. All were wide eyed in awe of the new and official Mikaelson home. To most in town, this would be the only formal ball any could say they had attended in their lifetime. Elijah watched them enter from the upper balcony of the ballroom. Beautiful girls came filing in, one after the other, in their stunning ball gowns that they would probably never have another occasion to wear. In Elijah's eyes, they all looked the same. He could never look at another women the same way as he had before he met her.<p>

"The festivities have just begun and you're already pouting, dear brother." Rebekah said as she moved to stand next to him, joining in on watching the people arrive. She knew he wouldn't respond to her half greeting, half insult.

"You seem to be glowering more than usual. But what do I know? I haven't been honored with your presence in many years. Maybe you've become even more boring since then." Her chin was slightly raised as she spoke. A common stance for Rebekah, it showed her dominance and superiority to others.

"What do you want, Rebekah?" He almost growled. Being forced to throw and attend a ball had put him in a bad mood, and dealing with his little sister was not something he wanted to add to the night.

It was then that she turned away from the view and actually looked at her brother. Her change in composure surprised, Elijah. Her attitude had been put aside for a moment and her eyes showed concern instead of annoyance.

"Elijah, I know I seem to only care about myself in the most selfish and vain way. But if tonight holds any significance, it's that I've realized we shall always have our family…each other. Something has been bothering you. I wish you would trust your sister enough to tell me what it was."

Elijah gave her a sympathetic look in return. Sometimes he forgot how caring his sister could be and only remembered her hatred and impulsiveness. He'd failed at maintaining a normal poise and underestimated how observant Rebekah could be. With the rest of his siblings, he hadn't really bothered to be cautious, knowing that none of them would care enough to ask him why he had been acting different. Klaus' only reason for concerning himself with his older brother was because he eternally wished to know everything.

"It's nothing worth sharing, sister. I apologize for making you worry." He lied.

"Is it Elena?" She spit out. As she said the girl's name her mouth naturally spit it out with such a lethal edge, it was almost a hiss. Her hatred for Elena would not fade any time soon. But the question left Elijah completely stupefied.

"And what would give you such an impression?" He smirked.

"You stopped me from murdering her the other night, didn't you?" She snapped but her tone softened as she continued. "Elijah, she's the doppelgänger. You loved the two before her, it's not like it would be shocking if you fell for her too. Although, you'll have to wait in line behind the rest of them."

Elijah's smirk faded to prove further that what he was about to say was nothing but the truth. "The only thing Elena and I share is a mutual respect for one another. I love her no more than I love the Salvatore brothers. And the very idea of the latter one is quite comical, don't you agree?"

It took a moment for Rebekah to judge how sincere he was being. After a minute or two, she seemed convinced he was being honest. When Elijah saw she was satisfied, he walked away towards the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13

**So instead of doing absolutely anything academically productive, I quickly wrote the next chapter. I know, I'm awesome. There's no need to thank me. But anyways, have at it. XoXo.**

__**Music**

**Please Be It - Generationals**

**R U Mine - Artic Monkeys**

**Pull My Heart Away - Jack Peñate**

* * *

><p><em>It was another boring day in an empty house for Hayley. Quite often when she was left alone for long periods of time, her house could be left a mess. Her sister, Lisa, had called earlier that morning to tell her she was coming back to the suburbs to visit tomorrow night. She'd promised to cook Hayley a proper meal and would spend the night there. In return Hayley became eager and ecstatic to spend quality time with Lisa, not for the food but for her company. Ever since Lisa graduated and started living on her own, Hayley missed their time together. Before Lisa moved, Hayley would go into her room after a night out or just because she felt like it and merely lie in bed and tell her things that she never felt comfortable talking about with anyone else. But the best part: she actually listened. Her sister always made time for Hayley. And they both saw it was hard for her knowing she couldn't be there constantly for her little sister anymore. But Hayley wouldn't keep her sister from starting and living her own life.<em>

_ In preparation for tomorrow night, Hayley found the motivation to clean up the pigsty of a house she was currently looking at. With her hands on her hips she observed the premises, trying to decide where she wanted to start. _

_ Roscoe lay in his bed, looking up at her. He signed, not seeing the current situation as being any fun for him personally. She looked over at him. "You're judging me right now, I can tell." In response, her dog just wagged his tail, clearly not understanding anything she was saying. Hayley smiled at that. "I promise I'll take you for a walk after I'm finished." At the word 'walk' Roscoe's ears perked up and his tail wagged even more. _

_ Quickly walking over to the stereo, she plugged her IPod into the aux and quickly put on some upbeat music so the activity of cleaning wasn't a complete bore. A plus to being in a big house alone, no one was there to yell at you to turn down music. Which was good since Hayley played her music at two levels: loud or off. _

_ Because she found the incentive so rarely, when she actually did clean, it was serious business. Windows were windexed, floors were washed, and carpets were vacuumed...sometimes even shampooed. She was so far into her cleaning zone and the music was so loud, Hayley was surprised she even heard someone ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door. In response, she sprinted over to the stereo, lowering the music and almost slipped on the wet floor trying to reach the door. _

_ She opened the door to find a girl, roughly her age, forcing a smile at her. She stood shorter than Hayley, but then again, most girls did. Her skin had a soft tan compared to her own pale complexion. And the girl's hair and eyes were almost the exact same deep chocolate color. Anyone passing by would observe that the two were almost complete opposites in appearance. _

_ Hayley's charm completely took over as she greeted her. "Hi! What can I do for you?" She said with a friendly smile._

_ "I don't mean to bother you, I just thought I'd come over to introduce myself. My family and I just moved in, up the street. Some of the neighbors were telling me there were kids in the neighborhood around me age." The girl's confidence caught Hayley off guard. When she'd first opened the door she had seemed slightly nervous. Pushing the observance to the back of her mind, Hayley put her hand out the door to her._

_ "Oh! Well, in that case…I'm Hayley Raymond. It's nice to meet you." The girl seemed to relax a little at her reaction and firmly shook her hand._

_ "I'm Katie it's nice to meet you." Katie appeared to be waiting for more than just an introduction. _

_ "Umm, I'm kind of cleaning right now because my house is a mess. But do you want to come in? You can hide away from your parents forcing you to unpack." Hayley said charismatically but to her, the invitation came off as awkward and obligatory. Although, Katie eagerly took the offer, stepping inside and immediately looking around the house with interest._

_ "So where did you move from?" Hayley continued._

_ "Oh…Well, we kind of move around a lot so everywhere basically."_

_ "Jeez, that kind of stinks, having to start over all the time."_

_ "Tell me about it." Katie replied but it came off more shadowy than sad. It made Hayley feel like there was more to the story than she was telling her. But she ignored it. Obviously the girl wasn't going to open up to a stranger two minutes after meeting them. Hayley understood that more than anyone. _

_ "Where are you parents?" Katie asked._

_ "Yeah…they travel a lot for work so they are gone most of the time." _

_ "Don't you have any siblings?" She continued. Hayley was beginning to get annoyed. It was if she was being interrogated. Not that asking questions was weird, just how hurriedly she was firing them off. But her mind told her to be nice to the poor thing. Everyone knew it sucked being the new girl._

_ "I have an older sister but she doesn't live here anymore. Actually she's come back to visit tomorrow. That's actually why I was cleaning. She'll give me a good yelling if she sees the condition that house was in before I started." Hayley let out a laugh after imagining the scenario in her head. It was pretty much a lie. Although her sister and her were extremely close, she would never act like her mother in that way. The worse she would do is make fun of how much of a slob she could be then laugh about it. But Hayley decided that saying she was cleaning the house because she was so excited to see her sister was a more pathetic excuse. _

_ She looked over to Katie to see that she suddenly looked really bored with their conversation. Hayley swore she saw her putting a serious effort into suppressing a yawn. Before she could think of a change of subject that would be more stimulating, the girl spoke up first._

_ "You were right about the packing. I should probably get that over with before my parents start to be annoying. We should hang out sometime." And with that she turned and was out the door before she even let Hayley reply. The whole thing started and ended so quickly, all Hayley could do was stand flustered. _

_ "Yes, nice meeting you too! Just stop by whenever you want!" Hayley mocked in a prissy girl voice that she dreaded hearing in real life encounters, adding a lisp for comical effect. She didn't exactly know how Katie expected to hang out; she didn't even ask for her number. _

_ "Smoke signals." Hayley clarified to herself humorously. _

_ But she didn't feel like dwelling on the awkward meeting any longer. After racing back over to the stereo, she threw the music back on and continued her crazy cleaning frenzy. As she vacuumed, her phone vibrated in her front jean pocket. _

_ Her heart fluttered a bit. She'd be lying if she said she didn't hope it was Elijah. But texting seemed too modern and childish for an original vampire to participate in. Sighing, she slithered her phone from her pocket, her heart still wanting. _

_ But it was only her sister texting her how excited she was to see her tomorrow and asking what she wanted to make for dinner. Hayley had a disappointed smile, happy that it was her sister but sad that it wasn't who she'd hoped. _

_ "Your choice." She sent back. _

_ Intuitively, she scrolled through her contacts until she got to the 'E's. His name shined back at her in LED light form. She had the sudden urge to press it to call him. Rolling her eyes at how ridiculous she was being; she threw it on the couch._


	14. Chapter 14

**Sooooo this chapter is super long. And i was so excited to post it that i didn't really proof read it as much as i usually do. SO PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME IF I MISSED SOMETHING! Gah. I've been up for 19 hours but i was dying to put this up. Hope you like reading it as much as i liked writing it. Review 3**

**Music**

__**Somebody I Used To Know - Gotye **(dinner)

**It's Ok With Me - Manchester Orchestra **(Lisa & Hayley)

**Stars In Still Water - Jónsi **(Outside)

* * *

><p><em>The next day Hayley didn't know what to do before Lisa got to the house. After four cups of coffee, being bored had scary consequences. She couldn't sit still for more than 5 minutes at a time. Deciding to take Roscoe for a walk, she thought it would kill her energy a little bit for sure. But his slow walking pace was not enough for her and she eventually took him back sooner than the chocolate lab would wish. After sitting at the kitchen counter for a few minutes, thinking of what do to with herself, she decided it would be best to go running. She wanted to return to her favorite path that she took in the forest. A shiver ran up her back at the thought. As if it was possible to defy one's self, Hayley decided that's exactly what she was going to do. She couldn't be scared of it for the rest of her life. <em>

_Grabbing her shoes, something white in one of them caught her eye. It was a piece of paper. She took it out of her right shoe and unfolded it. _

Perhaps it's best that you stay out of the woods.

-Elijah

_Hayley rolled her eyes and had an insulted scowl. She had a notorious history for going out of her way to do things that people specifically told her not to. She told herself it was the lack of supervision and parenting she had throughout her whole life. When people gave her commands, all it did was annoy her and cause her to do the exact opposite. Her stubbornness and independence always got the best of her. Crumbling up the note and tossing it into the garbage, she threw her shoes on and headed towards the path Elijah purposely asked her not to use. _I still have hours until the sun even starts to set,_ Hayley told herself. As her feet broke into a fast run, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty for rebelling against Elijah so effortlessly. _

_But less than 30 minutes later, she was back at her house safe and sound. Hayley couldn't help but be a little relieved. The success at beating a newfound fear gave her a sense of satisfaction. Maybe that night it was just an animal that had chased her, a coyote that has a sudden sparse of bravery. She liked that scenario much more than her earlier suggested vampire theory. Suddenly understanding how sweaty she was, she jumped in the shower and decided she felt like dressing up tonight._

* * *

><p><em>When the doorbell rang, Hayley skipped with delight to answer it. She stopped noticing what she just caught herself doing and promised she would never allow anyone ever see her do anything so girly. She opened the door to find her smiling older sister, who gave a tiny squeal of glee and jumped at her for a hug. Hayley laughed in return. There were bags on each of her hands full of groceries. She helped Lisa with them and rushed her inside the house. <em>

_Lisa immediately started talking and gossiping about anything she could think of. It was as if she was on autopilot as she unpacked all of the foods with out stopping a story she was telling about her boyfriend. Hayley sat at the island's stool with her face in her hands and a completely entertained expression on her sweet face. One of the best things about sisters was that it was so easy to pick up where you left off. Time could never damage their relationship; it was too natural for that. _

_About a half an hour had passed of Lisa doing most of the cooking and Hayley trying to at least look like she was even capable of helping. It was obvious Hayley would never be the stay at home mom making Mickey Mouse pancakes for her kids. Lisa had just begun asking her little sister about her art class when the doorbell ringing interrupted them. Hayley looked confused, then hoped it wasn't Katie coming over again just to look bored._

"_I'll get it." She said with a slightly annoyed tone._

_When she opened her door she was shocked to see Elijah looking at her with his hands casually in his pant pockets. Hayley could never be happier that people in the kitchen couldn't see the front door. Clearly she wasn't good at hiding her surprise at the moment because Elijah looked back quite amused. He was the one to break the silence._

"_I'm sorry to intrude, I know your sister is here." He said. But her running shoes, that were sitting right next to the door, caught his attention. "Did you go running in the forest again today?" He eyed her. His attitude almost came off angry and Hayley was unfamiliar with it._

"_Umm, now is not really a good time…" But Lisa turning the corner to see what was taking Hayley so long interjected the rest of her sentence. _

"_Oh, hello." She hadn't expected to find a good-looking man in a suit._

_Elijah's usual charm immediately began as he reached out to shake Lisa's hand. "Elijah Smith." Hayley rolled her eyes at his polite smile. And it obviously made an effect on Lisa because she returned an even bigger smile._

"_How do you know my sister?" Lisa asked as she looked between Hayley and Elijah. But Hayley's usual talent of lying couldn't be tried on her sister. She knew her too well, and she was one of the few immune to her little sister's talents._

"_I ran into her at the art museum when she was attending her class. I had a chance to see some of her work and asked if I could buy from her. Hayley offered to make some pieces personally from me. She must have forgot I was coming by today."_

_Hayley took Lisa's attention toward Elijah to give a deadly glare at Elijah who reacted with a pleased smirk. She mouthed, _What are you doing?

"_Hayley, you're like a real artist! Why didn't you say anything?" Lisa asked._

"_I guess I just didn't think it was a big deal." Hayley shrugged._

"_Well, would you like to join us for dinner? We have plenty of food!" Hayley whipped her head at what her sister was saying and opened her mouth to interrupt._

"_Thank you so much for the offer. It would be a pleasure to join you for dinner." Elijah quickly replied eyeing Hayley._

"_Great!" Lisa replied and rushed back into the kitchen, scared that she left the food in the kitchen unattended for too long. Elijah and Hayley were left alone._

"_What are you doing?" She hissed so Lisa couldn't overhear. _

"_I told you not to go into the forest." He said seriously with a frown._

"_What does that have to with you inviting yourself to dinner?" Hayley asked irritated. Elijah glanced down at her. It was the first time in their conversation he'd taken in her appearance. She was wearing skinny jeans and a light baggy sweater that was falling off one of her shoulders, exposing her pale shoulder. He had every intention of yelling at her for completely ignoring his request and going back into the woods. But he couldn't bring himself to do it after looking at her. When Hayley realized he wasn't going to answer her question, she continued snapping at him._

"_Stop giving me that look. I'm mad at you and you're giving me that look which just proves you're not taking me seriously." She started to stomp away from him but stopped and turned to add one more thing. "And don't eat my sister." She whispered, knowing that he would never do such a thing but said it to just annoy him. Elijah sighed and followed Hayley into the kitchen. But he smiled at how easy it was to irritate and upset her. It should be an interesting night._

* * *

><p><em>45 minutes later, they were at the table, ready to eat. Hayley was going through how this whole thing unfolded over and over again in her mind. Meanwhile, Lisa opened a bottle of white wine and poured everyone a glass. <em>

"_Don't tell mom or dad." She said to Hayley as if it was the first time she had ever drank. But she laughed anyways. At the square, four-person table, Elijah sat across the table from Lisa and Hayley was in between the two. She was still so annoyed with the whole thing that she let Lisa put in all the effort in preventing any awkward silences. "So Elijah, what exactly do you do?" She started. After the question was asked, Hayley sat up a little straighter. She was curious at how he would answer this because even she didn't know what Elijah did. Would he lie or was it normal enough that he would tell them the truth? That was when Hayley started wondering if he didn't have a job, how did he spend his days when he wasn't with her? He clearly had money; Elijah didn't need a job._

"_I'm a historian. I travel, research, and write about past events. I tend to circulate towards the things most historians overlook or find less important. It's quite boring to most people but I find it fascinating." Hayley wanted to tell herself he was deceiving them but a part of her thought part of it was the truth. She narrowed her eyes at him, telling him that she wasn't buying it. Elijah caught smiled small enough that only Hayley could see it. _

"_So is that what brought you to Chicago? Were you born here?" Lisa continued._

"_Yes, that's what brought me here but I wasn't born here. I grew up on the east coast. It's a small town called Mystic Falls in the state of Virginia." Hayley looked at him curiously. She could tell it was the truth by his tone, suddenly annoyed at herself for never asking him that before. _

"_Do you have a girlfriend?" Lisa cooed. "Lisa!" Hayley hit her sister's arm. "What? I'm just curious! I have a bunch of single girl friends I could set you up with." Lisa explained and told Elijah in the most lighthearted way possible._

_Elijah laughed, something that seemed to only be possible in the presence of Hayley. She wasn't aware of such a thing but she knew they were rare._

"_No girlfriend." Elijah said simply. He was somewhat entertained by the unexpected subject change. Mostly because he could tell Hayley didn't know how to handle it. _

"_No girlfriend." Lisa clarified with a smile. She quickly turned to Hayley with excitement as if she just remembered something. "Speaking of romance. Any new ones in my little sister's life?" She teased._

_Hayley rolled her eyes. "Are we really going to talk boys right now, Lisa?"_

_Lisa looked up at Elijah with her hands up in a surrendering manner. "Sorry, Elijah, we're not used to men being here during our girl time."_

_Elijah let out a laugh again. He was actually curious to see where this was going. "Please, don't let my presence stop you." He waved his head to motion for her to continue interrogating Hayley, who in response to Elijah's encouragement, slipped in a glare without her sister noticing._

"_So, Hayley you didn't answer my question." Lisa pushed._

_Hayley groined, willing to do anything to get out of the conversation. "Not exactly." The answer didn't surprise Lisa. That was always the answer. Elijah didn't expect her to day yes. Even if she did consider her and Elijah's undefined relationship as something worth mentioning, she wouldn't tell her sister. He agreed that it was best to keep it a secret. The less people who knew about him the safer they were._

_Lisa turned her attention to Elijah. "This girl never has a boyfriend, never wants a boyfriend. Personally, I think you're just too smart for them, Hayley. You're too good for them; never get a boyfriend. I'm serious." Saying it didn't faze Lisa. Through her eyes, it was impossible to see any possible romance between her sister and Elijah. He looked much too old and mysterious. The very idea was beyond her comprehension. Bringing up the subject didn't deem itself as inappropriate as it would have been if she fully understood the circumstances. _

_Hayley could feel how closely Elijah was watching her. He agreed with everything her sister said but he didn't believe she fully understood what was going on. Yes, Hayley was too good and too smart for anyone to rightfully deserve her, but she also didn't trust anyone. And as if she could hear his thoughts, he looked over to see she was staring back at him with a look so sad that it destroyed Elijah's heart. _

_For the remainder of dinner, the conversation was much more casual. Elijah saw why Hayley enjoyed Lisa so much. She was loving and bright. But what he liked most was how she treated her little sister; she knew her and filled in as her mother but never in a condescending manner. As he conversed with her, Hayley added comments here and there but never directed toward him. She hadn't looked at Elijah for the rest of dinner. He couldn't figure out if it was out of embarrassment or frustration. _

_After Elijah helped the two of them clean up, he thanked Lisa graciously for dinner. She gave him the most heart-warming smile that reminded Elijah of Hayley's but it was more frequent and therefore not as special. "It was so nice to meet you, Elijah." Before she asked him to stay or come back another time, Hayley spoke up. _

"_I'll walk him out." Lisa nodded and went back to putting away some of the food and wine. Once they reached the door, Hayley turned to face him with her arms crossed. Elijah turned his head slightly, "Have I really upset you that much?"_

"_What makes you think you can just barge into my life whenever you feel like it?" There was no hesitation or stumbling over her words. Telling people she was angry was never a problem for her. Words of hate and rage came natural to her. It was everything else she had trouble talking about. _

"_You're angry with me." Elijah stated. But she didn't respond. She just stood there, her arms still crossed and her eyes not looking into his. He nodded slowly and opened the door. Before he exited, he looked at her, waiting until she looked back._

"_Goodnight Hayley." The door closed without a response from her._

_Hayley almost stomped back to the kitchen. Why did she let him aggravate her so easily? But more importantly, it bothered her how guilty he made her feel. Why did she treat him that way just now? She pinched the bridge of her nose and moaned in frustration. Before going back into the kitchen, she got herself back together so her sister didn't interrogate her again._

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><p><em>They were in Lisa's old bedroom again, just like old times. It was Hayley's idea and her sister jumped at the idea. In they're pajamas, a bowl of popcorn on the bed, and black &amp; white film playing on the television. Hayley sighed in exhaustion and lay down on her side facing Lisa. Her sister smiled and matched her position on the other side of the bed. <em>

"_I'm sorry if I embarrassed you at dinner." Lisa said softly._

_Hayley shrugged. "It's fine, not really a big deal."_

"_Hayley, I wish you would let people in sometimes." With the statement, Hayley eyes quickly looked into her sister's. It reminded her of what Elijah said about putting such an effort into getting to know her. _

"_It scares me. What if I say something people don't want to hear? When you tell people your secrets…your dreams and desires, there's no going back. I don't like that feeling. I don't like not knowing what will happen after." Hayley whispered._

"_But that's the beauty of falling in love. You take a chance."_

"_Except what if it doesn't work out?" Hayley challenged. _

"_It's worth the risk." Lisa's eyes started closing with the last statement. Soon she was fast asleep, breathing heavily. But Hayley knew she wouldn't be going to bed any time soon. Her mind was racing. It was times like these where she would paint or draw when sleep opposed her. That way she wasn't left alone with her thoughts in darkness._

_After awhile, she saw her phone light up on the nightstand to the right. Her breath stopped when Elijah's name appeared. It was a two-worded text. _Come outside.

_Glancing over at Lisa, Hayley made sure she was in a deep enough sleep not to notice her absence. Once shutting the door softly, she tiptoed in stealth mode across the hall and down the stairs. She looked out the windows looking out at the front yard but Elijah's Audi wasn't sitting in her driveway. She hurried to the other side of the house and went out into her backyard. But no one seemed to be in her backyard but the forest beyond and animals of the night. Nevertheless she barely turned her head to look around and Elijah was at her side. For once, she didn't jump._

"_What are you doing here?" She murmured._

"_I'm sorry to wake you. I came back to apologize for my behavior." He was talking so properly. No, that wasn't it; he was being impersonal and careful. And he didn't look at her as he spoke. Instead he gazed into the tree line just a few yards away from them. Hayley suddenly saw the damaged she'd caused from how she acted earlier._

"_Stop." That was when he finally looked at her. "I should be the one apologizing. I don't know what came over me be before. I just…" But her words wouldn't resume. Her hands ran through her hair in frustration at her loss of words. Elijah waited patiently knowing whatever she was trying to say was important. _

"_No one has ever seen that part of my life before. Elijah, I'm not used to anyone trying so hard to get to know me. This whole thing, it scares the hell out of me. And I panicked and started using the only defense I had left which was pushing you away. When I'm with you, everything is new. You give me that look and I know you just see through everything that I put up to hide. And…you, Elijah, you terrify me."_

_Elijah closed the distance between them. He looked down at her and she couldn't help but be scared at what he was about to say. Just like the other night, he brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. _

"_Hayley, I will never do anything to hurt you, you must understand." She only nodded, still not convinced. "I never want you to be scared in my presence, especially of me. Nothing will ever harm you. You don't have to be so strong all the time. You're meant to be human." _

_Hayley looked back at him with those eyes he could never tear his own away from and her pink lips were slightly parted. Elijah couldn't help himself. He remembered words were never enough for her, never trusted. Everything needed to be proven. Removing what little distance was left between their bodies, Elijah's finger traced her jaw line from ear to chin. Then slightly lifting her chin with his finger, he gently placed his lips to hers._

_Just like when their bodies were side by side, their lips fit together as if they were always meant to. His mouth moved so slowly and gently against hers that it made every other kiss she had seem sloppy and rushed. This was how she was meant to be kissed; everything else was ordinary in comparison. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders that were always hidden under his expensive attire. In reaction, he pulled her in, wanting her body to be as close to his as possible. Elijah could hear her heartbeat fluttering faster than ever and her blood becoming hotter. Any young vampire would be victim to such a reaction. But his old age only made him notice her more as a human being and not as sustenance. Before he felt like her heart would burst, he slowly pulled away. _

_Hayley's eyes slowly opened. Her reaction was careful, not knowing what to say about his unpredicted actions. But her hands impulsively grabbed his. He held on tight to them, never wanting to let go. Once she caught her breath, she gave him one of her rare actual smiles that were completely contagious to Elijah. _

"_I should probably go before Lisa notices I left." She whispered and she tried backing away. But Elijah wasn't having it. _

"_I don't think I'll be allowing that. I'm not ready to let you go just yet. Would you like to take walk with me?" His head nodded towards the forest behind him._

_Hayley eyed him. "I thought I wasn't 'allowed' in the forest anymore."_

"_Actually, I meant to specify when you are alone. Not when you are with me."_

_Placing a light kiss on his cheek, she looked at him. "Let's go."_


	15. Chapter 15

**Alright, didn't get any reviews on the last chapter so I don't think anyone liked it LOL. Prepare yourselves for the next chapter, shit's gonna get real. Happy St. Patrick's Day!**

**Music**

******Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks - The National**

**Take Care - Beach House**

**Until We Bleed (Kleerup feat Lykke Li Dubstep Remix) - Patrick Reza **(Hayley gets home)

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><p><em>The next morning, Hayley was basically bouncing around instead of walking. She couldn't remember the last time she was so happy. Lisa was hunched over at the kitchen counter, glaring at her sister with a mug of coffee in her hands. <em>

_ "Too…too early for such energy." She mumbled to Hayley. At the disagreement, she tried to sit down but the stupid smile on her face wouldn't disappear. It was 8 o'clock in the morning. Elijah and her had taken a walk for what seemed like an eternity. It felt like they talked about almost everything. From the most insignificant things to the thoughts no one ever said aloud. And Hayley couldn't lie; it felt nice to just talk to someone about anything she wanted. _

_ "Did you sleep well?" Lisa was questioning why she was in such a good mood._

_ "Nope, I didn't sleep at all. I couldn't." Hayley said with a grin._

_ "That's not normal."_

_ "Yep." She replied casually. "So, when do you think you're heading back to the city? I wish you'd consider staying here another night." _

_ Lisa looked sad about having to leave. "I know, I wish I could, but I have a 12 hour shift tomorrow at 8 a.m. I'm only a 30-minute car drive away. Don't look so sad. You were just jumping around a second ago!" _

_ "It's fine. I understand; you're like a real human being. You have a job and your own place and a net salary." She laughed._

_ "Alright, so what are you going to do with yourself?" Lisa narrowed her eyes. She always hated the thought of her not getting out and dwelling in the empty house. _

_ "Janet texted me about doing dinner and a movie with the gals." Lisa sighed at the reassurance; now knowing she wouldn't be spending the night alone._

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><p><em> Elijah walked into the small apartment of his personal warlocks. It was quite common for vampires to keep witches around. Vampires are not always as powerful as people depict. There are certain restrictions that witches and warlocks are able to get rid of. For example, a ring that allows a vampire to walk in the daylight or doing simple tracking spells. The door was opened by Luka, a young teenager who was only a year or so younger than Hayley. <em>

_ Elijah always guessed that he was still a bit frightened of him by the way his heart sped up just ever so slightly when he saw him. Luka silently let him into the house, already knowing he was there to see his father, Jonas._

_ Jonas was in the small office in the apartment. But instead of having a computer and business papers everywhere, there were grimoires, candles, and herbs. "Elijah." Jonas greeted him. _

_ "Hello. Have you found him?" He asked, getting straight to the matter._

_ "With my daughter and probably other witches, it can be difficult to find his location. But every so often there are weak moments. Yesterday night was one of them, he's currently in Paris."_

_ "Good. Any other news?"_

_ "None. I've tried various incantations to locate both the moonstone and the doppelgänger.__ But it's nearly impossible to find magical objects and we don't even know if there is a doppelgänger alive today."_

_ "I understand."_

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><p><em>Spending time with her friends felt weird. Her life had been flipped upside down in just a week and going back to the mundane was strange. In a normal relationship, girlfriends would talk about a boy they kissed, giggling and asking a million questions. But Hayley couldn't do that now. Although, Hayley took pride in being a good liar, she never liked lying to the people who she loved. If you didn't go out of your way to tell the truth, was it still considered dishonest? After they saw some light-hearted romantic comedy, Hayley hugged her friend's good-bye and found her car in the subsiding parking lot. It was roughly midnight and the streets in suburbia were always dead hours before that. While switching through the radio, she made a mental note about remember to take out Roscoe when she got home.<em>

_ A short while later, she pulled into her driveway. All the lights were turned off. _Did I forget to turn them on before I left again?_ She asked herself annoyed with her own absentmindedness. Unlocking her front door she immediately turned the switch on so she could actually see where the hell she was going. But no light came on when she flipped the switch. _When was the last time the power had gone out?_ She asked herself. The darkness brought a certain nervous air into the room. That was when Hayley realized Roscoe had failed to come prancing to the door to greet her like usual. Before she knew what was happening, her handing was shaking to grab her cell phone. The phone started ringing and she begged that he would pick up._

_ "Hayley." Elijah answered._

_ "Elijah." She barely allowed her voice to a whisper, scared that she would alert anyone inside the house of her presence. She tried to keep her voice calm and steady to sound brave and not panicked. But Elijah caught it immediately._

_ "Hayley, what's wrong?"_

_ "I came home to all the lights off, the power's down, and I can't find Roscoe."_

_ "I'm on my way. Don't hang up the phone."_

_ "Ok." She felt sick suddenly. But more importantly, she felt defenseless. There was nothing in her area that she could grab to defend herself. Did she dare go into a different room? Her dry throat tried to swallow as she urged herself further into the house. The kitchen was her best option and was located right next to the glass door that led out to her backyard. If the worse came, she could run. Her mind was filing through her brain, trying to remember any self defense tips she'd ever glanced at in her life. As she walked, every footstep sounded like an alarm warning someone of each movement. Finally in the kitchen, she grabbed the biggest knife and held it firmly in her right hand with her cell in her left. _

_ Elijah didn't have to ask if she was still there, her breathing was so fast and stress, he could hear it through the phone. Hayley's heart jumped as she heard the wooden floor creak in another room. Her grip on the knife tightened. But someone tapped her shoulder behind her, which was impossible seeing as there was only a foot of space between her and the kitchen cabinets. She turned around to find nothing. When she turned back, Katie was staring back at her two feet away. A gasp managed to escape Hayley. Plus the surprise caused her to drop both the phone and the knife. _

_ "Katie! What the fuck are you doing in my house?" She screamed in anger but stopped when she saw Katie's expression. She had this dangerous look that made Hayley feel she shouldn't be relieved to find her. Everything about her was different than the day they met. Her hair was now curly and she was dressed in all black with high-heeled leather boots. Her eyes were coated with dark smoking make-up and a confident aura surrounded her. Suddenly, two men walked up behind her. _

_ Hayley's instincts took over as she lunged to quickly grab back the knife and cell phone but Katie beat her to it. Her movements were too fast for a human. Hayley was slowly realizing what was happening. Her eyes faintly widened at the glimmering knife in her hand. _

_ "Katie what are you doing?" Her voice shook._

_ "Oh God, I am so sick of that hideous name already." She said ignoring her question. As if they got some silent cue, the two men behind her started approaching Hayley. She backed up until she hit the wall of cabinets. There was no way she would be able to get to the door to run. And she already knew she couldn't outrun a vampire, let alone three, no matter how fast she was. _

_ "Hayley! Answer me damn it!" She could hear Elijah yelling over the phone. Clearly, Katie could too, because a devilish smile appeared at the sound of it. Slowly bringing the phone closer to her ear as the two men closed in on Hayley._

_ "Hello Elijah." And with that, she hung up the phone. Hayley decided running was worth a shot; she refused to give up without a fight. Just as she thought she could get to the door, she was knocked over the head and fell into darkness against her will. _


	16. Chapter 16

**So out of the last two chapter I just poster this weekend, I only got one review. YOU GUYS ARE THE WORST FOLLOWERS EVER! HAHA...just kidding. But I hope it's not because you've all lost interest in the story. So review and prove me wrong!**

**Music**

**Dull Hull (Edit V7) - Thom Yorke **(the chase)

**I Saw You in the Wild - Great Lake Swimmers**

**The Argument - Aidan Hawken **(elijah & hayley talking)

**Wicked Game - Gemma Hayes **(cuteness lol)

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><p><em>Elijah's anger was uncontainable as he heard Katarina's voice. He had to control is himself from breaking the silent phone in hands. Quickly dialing, he called Jonas. "I need you to meet me." He muttered the address of Hayley's house and threw the phone on the passenger's seat once he hung up. How did Katarina find Hayley and where did her sudden bravery come from? She knows Elijah can kill her in a second, what is she playing at? Elijah wasn't used to being surprised or a step behind. He'd made the usual 30-minute drive to Hayley's house in 10, but it wasn't fast enough. Speeding inside the house, Elijah listened for her heartbeat but already knew he would only find silence. However, he did find a scent.<em>

_ There was blood staining the wood floor right next to the back door. _She must have tried making a run for it_, he told himself. Jonas and Luka were just pulling into the driveway. Elijah raced out to meet them, not wasting a second._

_ "I have to find her." Elijah told the older warlock immediately. He hated the way Jonas looked at him with a sympathetic look. Elijah had never spoken of Hayley to anyone, not even his personal warlocks. And the look he was receiving made him realize he'd become everything he never wanted to be. _

_ Jonas grabbed his hands and started mumbling an incantation. Elijah's mind started racing through streets and trees. Finally, the movement stopped and he was looking at Hayley tied to a tree in an empty field, unconscious. He opened his eyes and got into his car without saying a word. He knew where to go._

_ While driving, he started thinking of all the damage Katarina could do in such a short amount of time. She obviously had ulterior motives for taking Hayley. Or maybe she simply wanted revenge for things done in a time long ago. The image he saw of her alive was the only thing giving him hope. Elijah stopped pondering for a second as he realized what was happening. He was worrying, a scarcity for him. He was always, always in control of every situation. People feared him and he feared nothing in return because he had nothing to lose. Hayley changed that; she made him weak. Although he was immortal, she was so vulnerable. _

_ After getting out of the car and racing into the forest, he saw the opening to the field and slowed to a walk. Katarina stood under a tree at the edge of the field with Hayley, now awake, sitting next to her. Two men stood next to her, looking nervous. Elijah would make this simple, their deaths would be quick and then all of this would be over. He slowly made his presence known as he walked into the clearing. _

_ "Katarina, your utter stupidity has truly astonished me. You know more than anyone that you can't beat me. What has changed your cowardly ways?" He wouldn't allow his eyes to even flicker towards Hayley's direction. It drove him insane that she was brought into all of this and he didn't want Katarina to realize her importance to him. If she died…he couldn't even think about that right now._

_ "I'm sick of running, Elijah. And running from one original is better than running from two. I came to make a deal and I know you are a man of your word."_

_ Elijah shrugged his shoulders. "You have nothing to bargain."_

_ Katarina untied Hayley from the tree, grabbing her by the throat, and dragged her into the field. Elijah had enough of the pointless conversation and raced towards them. But he was stopped by an invisible force field. He growled._

_ "How stupid do you think I am? You're not the only one with witch friends." Elijah's anger rose and he continued to listen to Katarina. "And here's where you're wrong," She nodded her head towards Hayley, her hand still latched around her throat, "I _do_ have something to bargain. I want your word that you will leave me be and never harm me ever again or I will kill her. I may or may not have given her my blood." She grabbed a knife from her back pocket and it lingered over Hayley's heart. "She could die or become a vampire. Do you really want to take the chance?"_

_ There was finally a reaction from Hayley. At the sight of the knife, she struggled under Katarina's grip, grabbing at her hand with both of hers. The action obviously annoyed her and she tightened her grip on her human neck. Throwing the knife down, Katarina looked back at Elijah. She lifted Hayley's body off the ground with one arm. "You know what? This will be more fun. A slow and painful suffocation." _

_ Elijah was completely helpless, as he watched Hayley's oxygen be slowly taken from her. The last thing he wanted to do was let Katarina have her way, but he didn't have any other choice._

_ "You have my word. Leave her be." He tried saying it in a calm manner, but Katarina could hear the panic in her voice. She gave a devilish smile at her success and dropped Hayley's body on the ground as if she was a rag doll. Hayley immediately started coughing, her body rejecting the lack of air it was given. _

_ Elijah glanced over at the two men; one was obviously the warlock while the other was probably a vampire play toy. He knew that the barrier was put down once Katarina had received what she intended. It was a foolish mistake. Elijah sped over to both them and ripped out their hearts in half a second. Then, running toward Katarina, he grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes._

_ "You gave me your word!" She almost screamed at him. Elijah smirked at how frightened he was making her. Looking into her eyes, he compelled her._

_ "And I will keep my word. But you will forget of Hayley's existence and this unwise and reckless plan you had. You will forget this ever happened and you will leave this town immediately." He pushed her away and with a blank look, Katarina left the field. Now there was only Hayley and Elijah left, and the dead bodies of two people. _

_ Hayley looked up at Elijah, with fear still in her eyes. He was cautious when he went to her side. It would be a stupid question to ask if she was okay. Clearly, she was anything but okay as he took in her appearance. There was a cut on the corner of her head that was trickling blood down the left side of her face, her lip was split, and there were already black bruises around her neck from Katarina's grip. Elijah hated himself, as he looked at all the pain she bared because of him. _

_ "It's not as bad as it looks." She spoke up as she read his expression. Slowly Elijah picked her up in his arms. Hayley welcomed his contact; she tightly wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest. Elijah sighed in relief at hearing her heartbeat so close to his body. At vampire speed, he rushed to the car and placed Hayley inside. He didn't say a word as he drove through the night. _

_ "Elijah?" Hayley asked carefully. Elijah gave her a blank look as he turned his head at her. "Are you mad at me?" _

_ "Why would I be mad at you? It should be the other way around."_

_ "What? I'm not mad at you. I was scared for you." Hayley muttered as she looked out the window. Her face lit every couple of seconds from passing under the streetlights. It seemed like the point that she could have very much just been killed didn't faze her at all. The whole time she was only worried about Elijah, even knowing that he was immortal and could not be truly killed._

_ "Can I stay at your place?" She asked harmlessly. Elijah only nodded his head. He hadn't planned on taking her back to her house anyways. Her near death experience made him want to keep her in his sight for as long as necessary. _

_ Awhile later, they were walking into Elijah's apartment. He hadn't said anything for the rest of the trip. He left Hayley alone in the kitchen for a minute and came back with a first aid kit. Softly, he moved her chin to the side so he could see the small gash on her head that was causing all the blood. Getting a cotton swab and quickly pouring a liquid Hayley didn't recognize on it. When it made contact, Hayley hissed at the sting. After he was done with that, Elijah eyed her bruised neck. _

_ "I can't do much for the bruising. Well…" He stopped, changing his mind about what he almost said. Hayley caught the waver._

_ "What?" She asked._

_ "I could give you my blood, it would heal faster." Hayley grabbed his hand and pulled him into an embrace. Elijah immediately responded, holding her tightly to him with his strength. Her heartbeat against his chest and he noted how calm the sound made him. It was more proof to him that she was alive. This was what relieved him, knowing that when she was in his arms, she would always be safe._

_ "Elijah, I'm human. We get hurt, we get cuts, and we get bruises." His lack of a response made her continue. _

_ "Will you please tell me what's wrong? I can't stand seeing you like this." Hayley said. Elijah's jaw clenched. He didn't want to tell her what was going through his mind at the moment, because he was ashamed to speak of it aloud. But he was the reason she was almost dead, so the least he could do was to give her what she asked._

_ "Klaus once told me that our greatest weakness, as vampires, was to love. Being immortal and an original vampire, I can't die and only temporarily injured. I realize now that I misinterpreted what my brother was speaking of. I thought he simply meant that love is a weak emotion, but I was mistaken. You, Hayley, are my weakness. You would have been collateral damage because there is no other manner anyone can cause me harm. Do you understand? This is what I spoke of the first night we were together. I am the sole reason your life was put in danger tonight." What he couldn't tell her was how scared he was seeing her in the hands of an enemy. He couldn't remember the last time he felt the emotion and how powerless it made him feel._

_ Hayley softly placed her hand on his cheek. She believed that no words would reassure him more than her touch. He intuitively put his own over it and brought it down to hold. "Stop it. Stop blaming yourself for anything bad that happens. I accepted all of this when I refused to let you compel me. I knew that it was a possibility. So stop hating yourself over a few cuts and some bruises." She stretched to place a small kiss on his lips. Once she backed away a smile appeared on his lips. He didn't care if he disagreed with what she said or not, he couldn't help but relax under her lips. Once she saw that her words made him feel better, she was smiling too. That was the smile he fell in love with. Not her unnatural, charming smiles that everyone else was fooled by; but the ones she only seemed to have with him. Elijah put his hand on her neck, his thumb grazing her collarbone back and forth. He was careful not to go near any of her bruises. She sighed at the movement. _

_ "I'm ready to go to bed. And I refuse to sleep in that bed alone." She said, looking over Elijah's shoulder at the hallway behind him. Elijah smirked at the commanding tone in her voice. _

_ "Go ahead, I'll only be a moment." He said as he kissed her on the head._

_ As she turned to go to his bedroom, he grabbed his cell phone from his pocket to call Jonas. He was simply calling to touch base with him and inform him he would be meeting him again tomorrow to discuss other things. _

_ When he walked into his room to see Hayley already asleep on his bed, wearing nothing but one of his dress shirts and her boy-shorts. She didn't realize the effect it could have on him. Her swearing and sarcasm made her seem corrupt and perhaps, immoral. But Elijah knew she was truly innocent. And although Elijah did see her as a woman, he had to remind himself of her innocence that she strategically hid._

_ Elijah changed out of his suit before lying in the bed. In her sleep, Hayley could sense his presence and scooted over, laying her head on his chest and her hand on his stomach. Elijah wrapped his arm around her body, pulling her closer to him. She exhaled in contentment at being next to his body. Her breathing was so relaxed and steady that it was a lullaby to Elijah. _

_ The girl in his arms knew little of the effect she had made on his life; the happiness he began feeling with her just being a part of it. He wasn't sure if he would be able to even sleep with the joy he had just feeling her breath on his chest._

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><p><strong>REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW<strong>_  
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	17. Chapter 17

**Ok, so this chapter took forever to put up because I lacked motivation. I've only got like 3 reviews from the last 3 chapters. Depressing. BUT THANKS TO THOSE WHO DID! Anyways...this week is going to literal hell. I have 3 exams on thursday so I don't know how good the updates are going to be. Enjoy.**

**Music**

**New Country - The Walkmen**

**Tomorrow Will Be Kinder - The Secret Sisters**

**From Russia With... - The Fences**

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><p><strong><strong>_Surprisingly, Hayley was the first to wake up. Knowing that the slightest movement would wake up Elijah's heightened senses, she barely allowed her head to turn to look at him. Her body had been spread across his bare chest. When did he take off his clothes and why hadn't she been awake to witness it? Hayley blushed at her staring. Using his rare slumber to her advantage, she took in his body. With a suit constantly covering him, it was hard imagining what was hidden underneath. His chest was sculpted and abs completely traceable. She could feel his muscular arms protectively wrapped around her tiny frame. Even in his sleep, he watched over her. His face was so calm and relaxed, unlike his usual controlled composure; she wondered how many had seen him in this manner. She sighed as she put her head back down to lay on his chest. His musky scent, the heat from his body, and the feeling of his arms around her: she decided there were now few things that felt better than this._

_ Hearing the change in consistency of Hayley's heartbeat, Elijah slowly roused from his sleep. As he opened his eyes, he inhaled deeply at the sight of her harmless body lying against his. It was obvious that she was awake and feared moving would also cause him to stir. Sensing he wasn't sleeping anymore, she looked up at him. _

_ "Don't be mad, but I stole one of your shirts." Hayley said quietly. Her chin was lightly placed on her overlapping hands that were against his chest. The gesture came so naturally to her. Elijah couldn't help but trace her cheekbone with one of his thumbs. Sometimes he needed to remind himself that she was actually there with him. He would randomly feel the need to touch her cautiously to prove it to himself. He never thought he would feel this way about anyone ever again and here she was proving him wrong. _

_ "It's perfectly acceptable, but that's all you are allowed to wear for the rest of the day." His frank response made her laugh. _

_ "What if I need to leave?" She jested. _

_ "Well, I have no intention of allowing you to leave this bed." Hayley thought about that for a moment then decided she was done talking about it. She gracefully reached up to plant a tender kiss on his lips. Teasingly, she tested his authority and slowly edged away from him. But Elijah had meant every word he'd said. Before Hayley even had time to react, she was on her back caged between Elijah's strong arms. A smile spread across her lips, knowing she got the exact reaction she'd intended. That was when his eyes gazed down to her bruised neck, which probably looked worse than it had last night. He suddenly looked sad. Slowly and ever so gently, he placed kisses across her neck as if he were removing them. Hayley brought his face to hers and began caressing his lips with her own. With every kiss, she pulled his body closer to hers. Elijah's hand slid down Hayley's side causing her chills and stayed on her waist. _

_As they continued, their kissing became more heated and passionate. Hayley had never gone further than this with anyone and she'd never cared to. But she was always somewhat embarrassed by her innocence, rarely admitting it aloud to anyone. The last thing she wanted to do was inform him of her lack of experience. A millennium age gap was enough; she didn't need to give him another reason to see her as a child. As if Elijah could hear her thoughts, which he seemed to do a lot, he quietly moved away from her. There seemed to be a silent communication developing between the two. _

_Hayley knew he was too much of a gentleman to do anything she didn't initiate first. Always hating even thinking of the common word used, it made her cringe just thinking of it. She suspected he was already aware of it and would never make her feel like she needed to verify it verbally. Elijah was sitting up with his back leaning against the headboard of the bed. He looked at her as she had her inner turmoil. Her long legs completely exposed with her only wearing his shirt and her underwear. One was propped up as the other lay still. It was such a relaxed position, showing how completely comfortable in his presence she was. Her hands recklessly placed over her eyes, from her annoyance the frustration with herself. Then as if she had suddenly remembered that he was next to her, she breathed and looked over at him. _

_His hand was placed close to her body. She eyed it and placed her own on top of it. "Hayley, your hands are uncommonly cold." Elijah noted. A sad smile appeared in placed of her frustrated one. "I know. I'm always cold. It's annoying." _

_Her blue-green eyes were somehow brighter when she was sad than when she really laughed or allowed a smile to appear. As he observed this, Hayley was still looking at his hand. They were always so gentle with her, treating her like some kind of doll that could break under the smallest pressure. But his hands were also his most lethal weapon. She knew him in such a little amount of time and already witnessed them ripping out three hearts. That was when she realized how much of himself he hid from her._

"_Elijah?" She almost hummed._

"_Yes, my dear." He said with a smile._

"_Why are people so afraid of you?" Her eyes bore into his, warning him that she only wanted to know the truth. She wasn't afraid of him or anything he had to say. It was too late for all of that. The feelings were already forming and it would take so much for them to crumble._

"_What makes you think people are scared of me?" He countered._

"_I saw the way Katarina and those other two looked at you. I swore I saw them shaking. And when they were talking about you, I could hear the fear in their voices. You say you've killed many people, but that's a vampire's nature. What makes killers afraid of just another killer?"_

_Elijah looked up at the ceiling. He didn't know how to approach the question. How do you tell the girl laying next to you that an entire species fear you because you are more of a fiend than any of them could ever be? It was obvious that she had an idea but she was looking for confirmation. "Hayley, you should understand that I am a different creature when you are not at my side. I kill and mangle to acquire what I want. If people cross me, it's the last act they complete. I am feared amongst vampires because I uphold a reputation."_

"_Why are you different near me?" She asked as she sat up on her knees. Elijah took her in again. So innocently sitting with her hair completely messed up in the cutest way possible. The sleeves of his white button up rolled up._

"_I look at you and all I desire is to be good. You make me feel human and I can't recollect another time that occurred." He looked away from her eyes. With his answer, Hayley scooted closer to him and laid her head on his chest once again. There was no pounding that thumped against her ear through his skin. His heart rested there, just like any humans, but it was frozen in time forever preserved. The heart never seemed so metaphorical than literal right then. People always said the cruel were heartless. But although Elijah's heart no longer beat, his compassion and nobility were greater than the humans he hid amongst every day. _

"_Elijah, you are not a monster." She whispered. "And I realize me saying that is never going to be enough for you. But I hope, for now, knowing that I will never see you as anything but Elijah will do until I can convince you otherwise." _

_Hayley turned her head to look at him, judging the influence of her words. He just watched her with the blankest stare she had ever been given. A sad smile was given back to him. She thought that she was the sad and broken one, but Elijah was just like her. Together they fixed on another in different ways. He needed to be told he was better than he gave himself credit for. And she needed to be given reason to believe that she could trust and open up. _

_It wasn't that her words meant nothing to him. In fact, it was the exact opposite. There was no way in predicting that the young girl in the coffee shop would touch him in such a way. What a cruel it would have been if he had never saw her after that day. They needed each other like most people in the world need something that they cannot give or find themselves. But unlike the others, they found what they didn't even know they were looking for. By themselves, Elijah and Hayley could live. But together, nothing could compare._

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><p><em><em>**REVIEW IF YOU WANT MORE CHAPTERS! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Since i got 3 reviews right away, I thought i'd throw this short chapter out there asap. Plus i was really excited about this one. I HIGHLY recommend you listen to the music while reading this because all the songs are equally depressing as this chapter. YAY FOR DEPRESSION!**

**Music**

**All Right - Sigur Rós **(Ester & Elijah talk)

**Tonight - ****Emy Reynolds**

**The Flame - Home Covers **(Klaus)

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><p>Even though this whole ball entity was never Elijah's idea, nor did he ever want to participate in it, he felt responsible for his sibling's behavior. Kol, being recently awakened, felt like he was wasting his time unless he was killing something. His little sister only made it worse when she refused to let him kill Matt. Of course, Damon was on another unpredictable and reckless streak. When Elijah's mother heard of the confrontation between Kol and Damon, he knew he'd have to deal with it. He immediately went to his mother to calm her and basically be yelled at on all of his sibling's accounts.<p>

"It won't happen again, mother. I'll deal with them." Elijah exhaled. Ester sighed and her face softened. She came closer to her son and placed her hand on his face. "Thank you Elijah. I wish the others were more like you." She said to him delicately. Honesty covered her eyes as she spoke to her honorable son. Just as Elijah turned to leave the room, confused by his mother's words, she continued.

"I wish you hadn't done that to her." Ester added.

"Excuse me?" His back was to Ester, the courage to face her abruptly missing.

"She made you so good. You were so happy with her. And I don't believe you'll understand how much better you made her in return."

Elijah slowly turned to face her. His eyes were glazed in the tears that would never shed. Ester was shocked at how her words affected her dear son.

"How do you know about her?" His voice rasped, his throat tight with all the emotions he had been holding in. He never spoke of her to anyone. After time, he convinced himself it was to protect her. But he knew that it was mostly to ease the pain of losing her. Finally talking about it brought out emotions Elijah had turned off for so long. He could hardly control himself.

Ester looked at him sympathetically through his watered eyes.

"While you all thought your mother was gone, I sat on the other side. I watched all of you. But only you found love. Only you found purpose, Elijah."

A sudden thought occurred to Elijah. If she had the power to watch over her children, couldn't she see anyone? His eyes shot up to meet hers.

"Have you seen her?" His voice rose a little with hope.

Ester slowly nodded her head. Elijah looked at the floor.

"Is…is she all right?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

Ester hesitated before saying; "She will never be as good as when you are there with her, Elijah…Neither will you. But I believe you already know that."

Elijah nodded his head, knowing she wouldn't tell him any more than that. He turned to leave the room to find that Finn was standing outside of the door. As he leaned against the wall his head rose to stare at Elijah. They had never been close of all the siblings. They were so similar that it almost seemed to be the problem. Finn looked at him with complete sympathy. Elijah knew he'd heard the conversation. But he was too worked up to care.

What he didn't notice was Klaus standing around the corner, out of sight. The hybrid expected to gain some satisfaction from finally figuring out what caused Elijah's irregular behavior. But there was none. His mother's words rang in Klaus' ears, "But only you found love". Elijah caused himself so much more pain by feeling and acting human. And there was no victory for Klaus in that.

Finn closed the doors behind him. The sage was still burning; he knew that he could speak freely. "He never said anything to anyone?" He asked his mother.

"Elijah believes he's protecting her." She sighed. Her gaze was faraway, thinking about things that weren't currently in the room.

"Mother, you're not having second thoughts are you?" Finn questioned.

"No, no…it's Elijah. He's just so moral. And he's torturing himself. Him and that poor girl…it's the saddest thing I've ever watched."

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><p><strong>REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW...if you love me...or just if you love Elijah. YEAH! If you love elijah, REVIEW!<strong>


	19. Chapter 19

**So instead of starting to study for my three exams this week, I wrote this. I think it's safe to say my priorities are in order. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapters. You guys are my favorite readers OBVIOUSLY. I hope you guys savor this chapter because I don't know how much time I'll have to write this week.**

**Music**

**It's Ok With Me - Manchester Orchestra **(Coffee Shop)

**Spanish Sahara - Foals **(Kissing)

**Funeral - Band of Horses **(driving)

**Stars - The xx ** )

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><p><em>A month had gone by since Elijah had become a part of Hayley's life. She couldn't remember a time when she was happier. Her smiles were more frequent and her laughter constantly filled the air. And in return Elijah had a purpose other than living for vengeance. As the days past, the motivation to find a way to kill Klaus was becoming weaker and weaker. But he had failed to notice the change in his drive to destroy his hybrid brother. <em>

_ Hayley had changed in nothing but positive ways. The school year was sneaking to a start. The concept of school seemed so insignificant to her now. Going to class for seven hours almost made her sick just thinking about it. Constantly being with Elijah wasn't necessary to her though. She was perfectly capable of entertaining herself in his absence. Her life didn't revolve around him; it was just the happiest part. Most of the time, he randomly showed up or only gave her a moment's notice before he was at her side. He seemed to always know when she would be home and not out with her friends. Sometimes there would be spans of days where he would be gone, only telling her that he had business to attend to. Hayley knew there were deeper things going on but she was continuously too pleased to see him to bother asking. _

_ The one thing that bothered her was the secrecy. For over a month, she kept her relationship with Elijah a secret. She couldn't tell her friends or her sister. There was never a time when she felt the need to tell her parents anything personal, and they didn't care to ask. Hayley felt guilty with the thought, but sometimes she wished she could go out around where she lived with Elijah. She wished to introduce him to her friends, and tell her sister he wasn't buying her artwork. When she caught herself thinking such things, Hayley told herself she was wanting too much. That she took for granted what she already had. _

_ She was sitting at a local coffee shop near her house, reading. Under the shade of an umbrella, but put her book down to people watch for a moment. Sometimes she became so caught up in her reading, she became oblivious to her surroundings. An old man rested with his dog while he read the newspaper. A middle-aged woman had her laptop and aggressively punched the keyboard with her fingers. A mom sat with twin boys who had ice cream melted all around their mouths. Hayley couldn't help but smile at how frazzled the mom was at making their hyper bodies behave. _

_But her grin slowly left when she moved her eyes to another table. A young couple, just around her age, sat looking only at each other. The boy's eyes were filled with love at he watched his girlfriend laugh at something funny he had said. His hand delicately held one of hers underneath the table. No one gave them a second glance. It was normal…their young love. Hayley moved uncomfortably as she played with the straw of her iced coffee. She would never have that with Elijah. But she guessed that's what she got for dating a vampire. Dating. It seemed like such an unsuitable term to describe their relationship. There wasn't one time she called him her boyfriend or Elijah called Hayley his girlfriend. It just didn't seem right for the situation. Hayley closed her book, grabbed her drink, and decided she'd had enough reading at the coffee shop for the day._

_As she drove home, her phone started ringing from the passenger seat. Elijah's name popped on the screen. Hayley sighed and cleared her throat to get rid of anything that would cause Elijah to notice her strange mood._

"_Hi." She tried sounding normal._

"_How are you, dear?" He said so sincerely that Hayley couldn't help but smile._

"_I'm good. How was your trip?" She asked. _

"_Not worth speaking about. May I see you tonight?" He inquired. That was when Hayley momentarily lost her composure. Her mind was suddenly flooded with the images of the couple she had just been watching a few minutes ok._

"_Yeah." She failed to say an answer that sounded more like her._

"_Are you alright?" Elijah, of course, didn't miss a beat._

"_Yeah, I'm fine. I'll see you tonight." She said sadly, having completely given up on trying to fool him. He was immune to her lying. Eventually, she'd stopped ever even trying. Not that she really needed to. _

_There was a moment of silence as Elijah measured what she was saying. He knew he shouldn't push what she didn't want to talk about._

"_I shall see you tonight." He said softly._

_After hanging up the phone, Hayley stressfully ran her hand through her hair. She had to get it together before tonight. _

_After feeding Roscoe and taking him for a walk, Hayley decided to make herself some tea. As the day continued, she started feeling slightly off. Rummaging through the cabinets for tea and some honey, she hoped it was just a warning of a migraine or something dismissive. She reached up to grab a cabinet and turned around to find Elijah standing barely over a foot away. It was something that Hayley never got used to even after trying harder everyday to improve her senses. All attempts were failed ones. She realized there was no way to train a human to sense a vampire's arrival. _

_Slightly jumping, she dropped the mug in her hand. Elijah grabbed it before it fell even an inch. "Damn it, Elijah! You do that on purpose!" Hayley shouted due to her shock. Putting the mug on the counter, without looking away from her, he stepped closer to her. His finger lifted her chin and slowly moved his lips against hers. But Hayley refused to let him win so easily. She pushed away from him and raised an eyebrow to indicate he couldn't have his way. Elijah only smiled at the challenge. _

_As she turned away to walk toward the other side of the kitchen, Elijah had already moved, blocking her path. "Didn't you miss me?" His head tilted faintly as he asked. A smile broke through Hayley's disguise, as she shook her head no. In a second, she had been lifting onto the counter, Elijah standing in between her legs. Her forearms automatically rested on his shoulders. He gave her a devilish smile before he began kissing her again. After a few minutes, he pulled away to look into her eyes._

"_I apologize for startling you." He said honestly as he kissed her cheek briefly. His hands softly rested on her hips, his assurance that she wasn't going anywhere._

"_One day I'm going to die of a heart attack because of you." Hayley whispered._

"_I must admit, it's a guilty pleasure of mine, making your heart race."_

"_Well you know, there are different ways of doing that without scaring me to death." Hayley surprised herself by what she said. Her cheeks blushed slightly, knowing what anyone would insinuate from such a comment. Elijah only laughed at it._

"_And I did miss you…like always." She quickly added to change the subject._

"_Where are your parents?" He asked as he innocently caressed the exposed skin between her jean and t-shirt. _

"_They're staying in the city for the weekend with some friends." Elijah had often inferred about them. Hayley guessed that it bothered him that they left her alone all the time. Ever since the Katarina incident, he was always reluctant before leaving her alone for the night. But they both knew neither of her parents could stop any vampire. He always offered to stay or for her to come home with him. But Hayley always said she was fine. She hated the thought of being coddled, and also knew he had other things he required to do. _

_Elijah turned to look at the mug he'd caught. "I was making tea," Hayley noted, "I think I'm starting to get sick." She shrugged to him. He eyed her._

"_Is that what was wrong on the phone earlier?" Elijah asked._

"_Yeah." She replied too quickly. He raised an eyebrow, proving that he caught the lie. Hayley breathed in deeply before continuing. "There's no point in telling you. It will only make you feel guilty; I know it. And that wouldn't be fair."_

"_Tell me." He said sternly, ignoring the part about making him feel guilty._

"_Elijah." She begged._

"_Hayley." He countered sternly._

"_Fine. I was sitting at a coffee shop earlier and I saw a couple…and it just…kind of bothered me. We can't do that, Elijah. I can't go out with you in public without people giving us weird looks. I can't introduce you to my friends or tell my sister about you because everyone will think it's something that it's not. And now that I'm talking about it aloud, I want to slap myself for how high maintenance I sound. It's stupid." She looked away from him and removed her hands from his shoulders, laying them limply on her lap. Elijah watched her closely. His eyes fixed on hers that refused to meet._

"_It's not stupid because you're upset about it, Hayley." Elijah said._

"_Well, I wish I wasn't." Hayley replied bitterly._

"_It was for that reason precisely that I told myself I shouldn't be a part of your life. You deserve a normal life, one that you can't have with me…"_

"_That's not why I told you, Elijah." Hayley immediately interrupted, "I know where you're going. I didn't tell you as some kind of out. I want to be with you. So stop trying to trick me into leaving because that's what you think is best for me. It's not, okay? So stop." Elijah's eyebrows furrowed at her words. In return, she placed her hands on either side of his face and laid her forehead against his._

"_I'm sorry that you're life can't be normal while I'm in it." He whispered._

_Hayley sat back after hearing his words. "Normal is overrated." She recognized she was officially over being upset. And she was reminded of all her feelings of missing Elijah when he was gone. As she seemed to be taking all of him in for the first time that night, her fingers played with his tie. Talking was the last thing she wanted to do. There had been enough of that. His hands at her waist, his mouth against hers, and his breathe on her neck: that's what she wanted right now._

_Elijah guessed at what she was thinking through her eyes. Once again they were kissing, something that seemed to become more passionate every time they were together. With their lips still attached, Hayley smoothly took off Elijah's jacket and tossed it to the other side of the counter she sat on. He responded by picking her up off the counter. She felt a brush of air before she established they were in her room and on her bed. Her hands entangled through his hair, begging him to come closer. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She begged it to calm, knowing that Elijah could hear it perfectly. But all the hunger she felt earlier was starting to become shy once again. Hayley's courage began to dwindle, but she pushed the thoughts to the back of her head. Her heart told her to keep going but her body said to stop._

_All she said was "Elijah." but he heard every word behind it: I don't know if I can do this. In the blink of an eye, he was off the bed on the other side of the room. Both of them stared at one another as they breathed heavily. Elijah was suddenly angry, not at Hayley, but at him. He told himself he would never push her; he'd made a secret promise. Everything in the way she'd said his name told him he wasn't keeping it. _

"_I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Hayley stuttered, something unusual for her. Elijah shook his head at her, trying to specify it wasn't her that was the problem. But it wasn't convincing enough. Her heart was racing with embarrassment in place of desire. He looked up to see that her cheeks were also flushed. _

_Before giving any warning, Elijah sped out of the room, too fast for Hayley's human eyes to comprehend. She knew that he wasn't coming back for the rest of the night. Turning to grab the pillow sitting next to her, she shoved her face into it and screamed in frustration._

_After a few moments of pulling herself together, she went downstairs to finish making the tea. She just needed to do something other than sit on her bed and go over everything that had just occurred. In the corner of her eye, Elijah's jacket caught her attention. The mug was slammed onto the counter and Hayley's fingers steadily tapped against the granite. Next thing she knew, she was grabbing the jacket and her car keys._

_As her car passed below streetlight after streetlight, her mind was lost in wonder. At the early stage of their relationship, Hayley had given herself so many reasons why she shouldn't be with Elijah. She imagined a dozen scenarios, trying to prove to herself that the whole thing would go terribly wrong. He was immortal and she would eventually die. And who was to say that he wouldn't get bored with her? But she realized she had been holding onto the one reason that she should give it a chance: she loved him. And Hayley was admitting it for the first time. She loved Elijah. And she needed to stop being so terrified of the sensation. "This is normal. You're supposed to feel this way. This is human. Stop being scared of it." Hayley said aloud in the car filled with no one but herself and her contemplations. _

_Elijah was looking out the windows of his apartment down at the city below. That was when he heard the ding of the elevator on the other side of his door. Hayley's heartbeat immediately followed. He opened the door to find her looking up at him._

"_What's wrong? Did something happen?" The fact that he'd just left her house hardly over an hour ago made him concerned. But before he could ask her more questions or receive any answers, she closed the distance between them. Her lips crashed onto his and her arms draped around his neck. Elijah instantaneously reacted by pulling her closer to him, his hands wrapped protectively around her waist. He knew Hayley expected him to be surprised by her actions but she underestimated his connection to her. They were in his kitchen and her back was against the island granite. What was it with them and kitchens? Elijah effortlessly picked her up so she was sitting on top, and her legs bravely tangled around him. Hayley slightly pulled away looking at him in the eyes. Breathing deeply from their rushed kissing. That was when Elijah registered how nervous she was. What had come over her? Hayley's soft tone of voice broke into his thoughts._

"_Listen, I just used every ounce of courage with that. I even had this whole story about bringing back your jacket…I don't even have it, I left it in the car. I don't know where to go from here."_

_After hearing her words, Elijah immediately understood what was happening. Her heart was beating like a humming bird. She was looking down now, too embarrassed to meet his gaze. He gently lifted her face to make her look at him. Then he placed a short peck on her lips. _

_Moving his mouth to her ear, he whispered in his husky voice, "I know you're nervous. But I love you and I won't do anything without your complete consent. If you're doing this because you think it's what I want, than I'm not going to permit it."_

_Hayley smiled a little after he was done. And he looked at her questioning it as his hands rubbed her shoulders soothingly. _

"_What?" He whispered._

"_It's just…" She thought for a second. "…You're the only person who ever knows exactly what I want to hear without me even knowing it." Her hands placed on his neck with her thumb tracing the line of his jaw. "Elijah, I love you." She finished. _

_Hayley started kissing him again but slower than before, trying to match the pace of her more relaxed heart. Without breaking contact, her hand loosened his tie and slipped it off his neck. Her fingers fumbled with what seemed like a million buttons on his shirt. Finally down to the last button, she tore it off his body. Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, Hayley looked into his eyes as she shyly took of her t-shirt. Once again she was on a bed, only Elijah's this time. The scenario was repetitive to earlier, but Hayley would assure it didn't turn out the same way. He kissed down her neck and across her collarbone. He stopped, his gaze so intense on her, she almost had to look away. "Only if you are certain." He said. Hayley nodded without any hesitation._

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><p><strong>Soooo I hope you guys weren't expecting like this huge and extremely detailed sex scene. I guarantee if I tried to do that, it would come off either really cheesy or really pornographic. HAHA! So sorry if that bothered anyone.<strong>

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! 3**


	20. Chapter 20

**Alright since I got some amazing reviews. I took a short break from studying to get this one out there. It's short, but whatever. It's something. I just want you guys to know that I have a plan for this story. I know where it's going and I hope it seems like it. I don't just pull these things out of thin air as I'm writing them. LOL. Yeah so I just wanted you guys to know that. In case you feel like this is a never ending story or something.**

**Music**

**Each Coming Night - Iron & Wine **(waking up)

**In These Arms - The Swell Season**

**The Hill - ****Marketa Irglova **(Leaving)

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><p><em>Elijah was always an early riser. Vampires needed to sleep, just like humans, but they were able to go nights without it. Usually he would only sleep a few hours a night, always waking up before the sun rose. Sometimes he would even go days without rest. But with her, he slept peacefully and longer. He awoke with his arms around Hayley's small body. Her bare back was resting against his chest. He could hear every breath she took and the slow thump of her heart. The sun was just starting to rise, but it was hard to tell with storm clouds covering the sky. He knew she was deep in her sleep and probably wouldn't wake up for awhile. Only the thin white sheet from his bed covered her body from her chest down. Her reddish blonde hair fanned out behind her. Elijah could still smell her perfume lingering on her body from the night before. He knew he would never forget that scent for the rest of his immortal life.<em>

_ Elijah moved over, forming a space between their bodies. He carefully removed his arms from around her, making sure not to wake her. There was no way he would be able to go back to sleep with her so close to him in this manor. He used her sleeping state to look over her. Her back was now exposed and her fair skin flaunted. Elijah eyed her back dimples that Hayley had informed him last night, she was always embarrassed about. His finger outlined her spine going all the way up to her neck. Suddenly, he caught her pulse quicken._

_ "You know, it's extremely hard to sleep when you're doing that." Hayley murmured without turning to face him. _

_ Elijah lightly laughed. Instead of answering her, he kissed her shoulder and her neck. And went back to how he awoke, with his arms strongly around her frame._

_ "You're making it more difficult." Hayley whispered. Even though her back was to him, Elijah could hear her words were coming through a smile. "What time is it?" She asked, not being able to tell with the overcast. _

_ "5:30." He quickly replied. Hayley groaned and turned, burrowing her face into his chest. "Too early…can't do it. Must go back to sleep." She moaned into his body. Elijah grinned at her, knowing that would be her reaction to the time. Rain started pouring out of nowhere. Heavy thunder and lightning soon followed. _

_ Hayley moved her face so she could look at Elijah. It was the first time she looked into his eyes that morning. Her mouth slowly fell into a smile. It was clear she couldn't go back to sleep now. "Good morning." She spoke softly._

_ "Good morning." Elijah responded, significantly entertained that she'd given up on sleeping so quickly. Her eyes moved to glance out the wall of windows. The thunder and lightning were getting louder and closer._

_ "I love thunderstorms. They're my favorite." Hayley stated as she turned back to look at Elijah. He brushed a piece of hair that fell across her face behind her ear. _

_ "And why is that?" He asked as he kissed her cold hand._

_ "Everything is peaceful. The sound of rain is so calming." She paused before looking at him with a mischievous smile. "And it's an excuse to spend the day in bed."_

_ "We don't exactly require an excuse to ensure that." Elijah replied._

_ Hayley giggled, which she only allowed in front of him. "Well, having an excuse makes me feel less guilty." _

_Elijah raised an eyebrow at her. "So being with me makes you feel guilty?" All joking was put aside as her smile disappeared and her face became serious. "No, being with you feels right." Her voice didn't waver as she told him. She earned a smile and an unhurried kiss from Elijah. _

"_Come on. I'll make you breakfast." He said, bringing them back to reality. Usually in a vampire's home, food wasn't always a necessity. Many vampires would stick to simply blood; some would include food in their diet also. Ever since Hayley became a part of his life, Elijah always had the kitchen stocked with every kind of food. She of course noticed the change and told him it was sweet but unnecessary. _

_Hayley came walking in a few minutes after him wearing another one of his shirts. He acknowledged that he would be perfectly content if that's all she decided to wear for the rest of her life. She sat on one of the stools at the counter. Her beaming face was propped in her hand as she watched him make coffee. _

_Their pleasant silence was ended as Elijah's cell phone rang. Hayley looked at it casually, not really caring who it was. He grabbed it and thought about letting it go to voicemail but changed his mind. It was Jonas. _

"_Hello." He greeted. Hayley watched him; curious now at whom he was talking to. Elijah listened closely at what Jonas had to say since he only called when it was urgent. Klaus was back in America and on the east coast. Last night, Jonas was able to find him in one of his witches' moment of weakness or just lack of attention. _

"_Thank you. I will call you back." He said before putting down the phone._

"_What was that all about?" Hayley tried to ask casually as she played with the sugar bowl in front of her. Finally she looked up at him keenly._

_ "Business." He said firmly. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her everything that was actually going on. Elijah felt he was keeping her safe by not knowing what was happening. If the worse came, no one would be able to use her to get information about him. But a part of Elijah felt she wouldn't be happy to know that his only goal in his life, before he met her, was to track down his brother to kill._

_ "Look...I know there are things that you don't want me to know. I get it. I don't expect you to tell me absolutely everything. But I don't want to be lied to. If it's not business than don't say it is." Elijah knew she was smart enough to notice early on that everything he did was, in fact, not business at all. But he didn't like how much it bothered her that he kept her so far out of it. _

_ "Does it have to do with Klaus?" Hayley guessed._

_ "Yes." His hands gripped the counter's edge as he watched her reaction._

_ "Is he trying to find you?" There was fear in her voice._

_ "No." He was at her side in a flash. "You don't have to worry, Hayley."_

_ But if somewhere in the future, he had a chance to kill him, Elijah would take it. And if the time ever came, there was something to worry about, because so many things could go wrong. Hayley caught a glitch in his eyes._

_ "Why do I feel like you're lying to me?" She whispered, scared it was the truth._

_ This was unlike Elijah. He only lied when it was absolutely necessary and to get something he wanted. But Hayley was what he wanted. So why did he feel the need to lie to her? He looked at her to see she was patiently waiting for his answer. Before he could stop himself, he began telling her all of his plans he had made over the years: how he would kill Klaus, the myth of another doppelgänger, and the moonstone. Hayley's face was blank as she tried to process everything she was hearing._

_ About 10 minutes went by of hearing Elijah explain everything, only stopping a few times in order answer Hayley's rushed questions. He held his breath staring at her and wishing she would break the silence. _

_ "I never knew that it was anything like that. I always assumed it was…I don't even know what I thought. How could you keep that from me? You could die, Elijah! He could rip out your heart just like you plan on doing to him. You could…actually die." _

_ "You are upset." Elijah stated through a clenched jaw._

_ "Yes, I'm fucking upset! You're putting yourself in danger to kill your brother. How did you expect me to react? What if on one of your 'trips' you found what you were looking for? Is that it? You could have died and I would have never known." Hayley stormed out of the room fuming. A few minutes later she came out of his bedroom, wearing her clothes from the night before. Her instincts were to get away when things were wrong. When her thoughts couldn't get themselves controlled and in order, she ran. Her heart couldn't take it the look on Elijah's face as he saw the keys in her hands. "Hayley…you don't have to go." He said so softly, she almost couldn't hear it._

_ "No, I think I should go. I need to." Her voice shook as she spoke. Elijah watched as the door closed behind her. It would have been easy to stop her, both of them knew. But he also recognized it would only make things worse._

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><p><em><strong>Review if you love Elijah or...me...or this story. Yeah.<strong>  
><em>


	21. Chapter 21

**In celebration of my school week basically being over and the release of a new VD episode! Finally through the longest and worse day of my life! WOOOO! Not that you guys care...you just care about this fucking story lol. Anyways can we talk about how insane tonight's episode was. Whatever yeah. And good news, perfectly fits in with the direction of my story. ;) If they kill Elijah...I don't even want to think about it.**

**Music**

**Hear Me - Jimmy Eat World **(Hayley & Parents)

**The Lake - Aqualung **(Elijah)

**I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab For Cutie**

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><p><em>A week had gone by since Hayley talked to Elijah. On her drive home that morning, her hands shook with frustration. Since then, he hadn't called her or showed up surprisingly as usual. But she knew he wouldn't. The moment she left, she saw he wouldn't contact her. Elijah wouldn't push.<em>

_Of course, the week her parents were on one of their rare streaks of being home. Mixing that and her fight with Elijah did wonders for her. Every thing her parents said to Hayley, annoyed her. They didn't notice her attitude because they didn't even know how she normally acted. Her parents refused to acknowledge they were a constant absence in their daughter's life. So when they _were_ home, her mother and father enjoyed putting on the act of the happy family. _

_That Sunday, they decided a family dinner was in order. These were Hayley's most dreaded activities. The forced conversation and questions put her on edge. The entire meal felt like nails on a chalkboard and an awkward silence at the same time. She only attended to humor her mom and dad. Adding her fight and detachment with Elijah only made matters worse._

"_So Hayley, pretty soon you'll be applying to colleges soon." Stated her father. School was always a safe topic for them. It was impersonal and they believed education was the main priority of their parentally duties. _

"_Yep." She replied as she cut her steak in front of her. It was always easier for her to be doing something with her hands during these skirmishes. Anything that distracted her was continuously helpful._

"_I'm assuming that Northwestern and University of Illinois will be on top of your list of colleges you will be applying to?" Her mom chipped in._

"_Well, neither of those have very good art programs. I was thinking more Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia, or some schools in the New York City area."_

"_Art? What exactly will you do with that degree?" Her father scuffled at her response. The one thing worse than not having your parents around is not having them take you seriously. Lucky for her, she got both._

"_I'll figure it out. Art is what I love to do. Why wouldn't that be my major?" Hayley challenged. Her grip on the silverware tightened and her jaw ached from consistently staying clenched. _

"_Let's be realistic, sweetheart. Especially in this economy, you won't be able to do a whole lot with that after college. What about business or law? Just think of the family business!" Her mom finished excitedly. As if it would be their dream come true if she followed in their footsteps. But the 'sweetheart' nickname bothered Hayley the most out of anything her mother just said._

_Just as Hayley was about to say something, her father added his take. "Art is a great hobby. But that's all it should be, nothing more, especially not a job. You can do that whenever you want, for the rest of your life. You should study a major that will give you a more stable career."_

_The combined efforts of her parents were pushing Hayley to her limits. She could only stay pleasant for so long. No matter what she said, they never listened. They even looked at her when she spoke. But it was so obvious that they never actually comprehended anything that came out of their daughter's mouth. _

_She looked down at her plate, only half way finished with her meal. "You know what, I'm not really hungry." Hayley said quickly. Pushing her chair in and chucking her napkin on the table, she rushed upstairs. There was hardly a beat from her parents. Neither even registered that their words had offended her. They almost welcomed her sudden lack of presence, deciding to talk about their firm instead._

_Slamming her door shut and making sure to lock it, she threw herself on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She realized how sad it was that she had grown to prefer an empty house than one with her parents. Thinking of absolutely anything to get rid of her anger, Hayley picked up her sketchbook and started working on an unfinished drawing. But her parents sporadic laughter made it's way upstairs and ruined all sense of calmness she'd achieved. _

_Her mind started wandering to her fight with Elijah. She never meant to leave that morning; it was just her unfortunate nature whenever something went wrong. He told her his life threatening plans so calmly that Hayley now grasped she'd gone into mild shock then quickly into resentment. _

_A week without speaking with him felt terrible, with the note they left on. Sleep was rare, being replaced with the never subsiding thoughts of their past discussion. As the days had gone by, she couldn't help but envision he'd gone on another excursion and could possibly be dead right now. But that was her horribly active imagination and growing guilt speaking. _

_As she listened to her parents quickly cleaning up, Hayley told herself she would go insane if she stayed another minute in the house. The basement door opened and closed. Her parents were probably planning on watching a movie. That was one of the many things they did instead of paying any attention to their youngest and most disappointing child. _

_Hayley looked out the window. It was raining again. But it was the forceful, almost threatening to flood kind of rain. She sighed and threw the drawing back on her desk. Shoving her cell phone and wallet into her purse, she grabbed her car keys. Quietly, she walked down stairs. Not that her parents would question nor care where she was going. Hayley just liked the idea of them not even noticing she'd left._

_Her car was unfortunately parked in the driveway instead of the garage. Hayley flung open the front door and sprinted to her car. But the running didn't help. By the time she got into her car, she was soaked. Her hands placed on the steering wheel, she looked out the drenched windshield. _

_She had no idea where she was going. Shaking her head, Hayley started the car, knowing anywhere was better than her house. The car moved without a destination. But Hayley's heart knew where it was going as her car made its way onto the highway, heading to the city. She didn't want to go to her friends' houses or call Lisa…she wanted Elijah. The separation couldn't continue._

_Pulling into the complex's underground parking garage. She went to the private penthouse elevator. Elijah had given her a card and key for her to use if he wasn't home. Breathing in deeply on the short ride in the elevator, Hayley couldn't choose if she was eager or anxious about seeing him. _

_Even though she had a key, she decided to knock. There was no answer. Either he was too upset to speak with her or he wasn't home. However, Hayley had suddenly become determined and started unlocking the door with her key. She swung it open to find an empty and dark apartment. She flicked the light switches on, sighing._

"_Elijah?" She questioned the solitude. There was no reply._

_Hayley was still wet from the dash to her car. After standing still awkwardly in the kitchen, her feet started to carry her to Elijah's bedroom. It was empty, the white covers perfectly made. Seeing the bed, she became aware of how tired she was. Her constant worrying, mixed with her nightly inability to sleep, left her exhausted. Taking off her shoes, she laid on top of the covers. Telling herself she was only going to rest and not drift to sleep. _

_The smell of Elijah still remained on the bed and Hayley couldn't help but become relaxed by the scent. Her body was telling her to sleep but her mind fought the urge. Before she knew it, she'd drifted to sleep._

_Elijah parked his car in the garage, walking towards the elevator. His walking stopped as he immediately noticed Hayley's car sitting just a few yards away. He quickened his pace to the elevator as his mind instantly thought something was wrong. Expecting to find her waiting in the kitchen or living room, he relaxed when his ears could hear her deep breathing and heartbeat. Slowly, he made his way to his bedroom, knowing that's where she would be. _

_Hayley laid atop his bed on her side with her head resting on one of the many pillows. Elijah moved slowly to the other side and sat carefully, making sure not to wake her. There were slight shadows underneath her eyes. When was the last time she'd slept? He questioned. Her hair and clothes were slightly wet; he assumed it was due to the rain. _

_A week apart from her being upset with him made it seem twice as long. Although he wanted nothing more than to see her, he knew she deserved to come to him when she was ready. Her reaction didn't really shock him. He knew he deserved it, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. _

_Elijah's attention was diverted as he saw goose bumps appearing on her arms. He grabbed a blanket and carefully placed it over her body. Hayley sighed in her sleep. Elijah moved back to his spot on the bed, watching over her._

_As if she could sense his company, Hayley gradually woke up. Her eyes blinked a few times before falling on Elijah. A tired smile went across her face._

"_Hey." She said softly._

_Elijah smiled back. "Hello." He took her in before continuing. It'd been too long since he'd seen her smile. "I wish you had called me to inform me you were here."_

_She shrugged. "I just figured you'd being doing something important if you weren't home." Hayley paused. "I'm sorry…. for leaving. I shouldn't have done th_at."

"_I fully understand why you did. I believe I deserved it and I should be the one apologizing." He said honestly._

"_All I was thinking about was you dying. And it scared me. It's still scaring me. I feel like I'm just waiting around for you to leave me to go on this sacrifice."_

_Elijah abruptly interrupted. "I'm not leaving you."_

_Hayley sat up. "But what if you don't mean to?" She shook her head as if it was stopping her from continuing. "I don't want to argue about it anymore." Hayley moved over and wrapped her warms around him. Her body welcomed his familiarity. Elijah took in her smell mixed with rain. He couldn't imagine lasting any longer with out it. "Just…don't ever die." Hayley's voice was flat as she whispered it. The idea was too serious for her to even add emotion to it. He rubbed her back, trying to calm her and rid the thoughts of him leaving._

"_I'm sorry for causing all this worry. I should have told you sooner. But I didn't want my problems to overtake your mind. There mine to deal with, not yours. Useless effort on my part, it's happening anyhow." Elijah murmured, his mouth to her ear. _

_Hayley turned to face him. "No one should deal with things so serious on their own. I don't mind. I'm just scared for you." Her grip on him tensed with the last part._

_Elijah smiled. "Hayley, I think you underestimate my abilities."_

"_You're not scared of anything! That's why I have to put some sense into you."_

_His smile quickly vanished. "That's not true. I'm scared of losing you. I was scared that night Katarina took you. I wouldn't live with myself if your innocent life was ended due to your involvement with me." Hayley took everything in; she didn't expect any of it. Obviously she knew he loved and cared for her. But she wasn't aware that her death was the only thing he feared._

"_So you understand how I feel. I can't lose you like you can't lose me. If the situation was reverse you wouldn't let me try and kill my murderous brother."_

"_Yes, but I wouldn't let you. I'd stop you." Elijah defied._

"_Well, the human girl can't really stop the super fast, inhumanly strong, and compelling vampire can she?" She said sarcastically. Just as she finished her stomach grumbled. _Traitor_, she thought. _

"_Did you eat?" Elijah asked._

"_About that… I decided to skip dinner rather than be forced to eat with my parents." Hayley hoped that he wouldn't push the subject further. She didn't want to talk to him about it. But Elijah never let her take the easy way out, otherwise she'd never tell him anything. She always believed her problems were too mundane for him._

"_There's something worse than my parents never being around." Her eyes drifted from his as her thoughts were clearly reminiscing on the latest encounter with her mom and dad. "They don't listen to me. It's so obvious. When I'm speaking all they do is wait for me to stop so they can keep going. We started talking about college and all they care about is what they think I should do, not what's best for me." She sighed, getting worked up just thinking about it. _

_Elijah could almost see her thoughts racing from one concern to another. Although her maturity was far greater than most girls her age, that didn't mean she cared less about teenage difficulties. _

_He intertwined his fingers with hers. Tilting her chin, from his chest, to look at him. "Hayley, you're too young to worry that things will never be ok." She laughed a little. "Right. Perspective. I'm such a cynic sometimes."_

_Elijah smiled at her. "Come on. Let's get you some food." He started getting up and Hayley's face turned into a frown at the separation. He chuckled at her._

"_I know you're hungry. I'll take you somewhere."_

_Her eyebrows rose. "Like a date?" She asked, amused. Elijah rolled his eyes at her, but then nodded his head seriously. Hayley jumped up and quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Let me put my shoes on."_

_Just as she was walking past him to grab her converse she'd kicked off earlier, Elijah grabbed her wrist softly. Pulling her close he asked, "Are you planning on going home tonight?" His hand had slowly moved down from her wrist to her hand._

"_I'd rather not." Hayley whispered. Not because of her parents, but because she didn't want to separate from him again. Not yet._

"_Good. Since, I wasn't going to let you leave."_

"_Why would you ask then?" Hayley inquired through a smile._

"_So you're convinced you have free will." Elijah had a crooked grin as he bent his head down towards her lips. Hayley grabbed his tie, pulling him closer. She'd missed him, missed this. Her problems always seemed to be put into perspective around him. He calmed her. _

_Pulling away from their kiss, she pecked him on the cheek. "Let's go on a date." Hayley smirked as she dragged him out of the bedroom._

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><p><strong>Review. I promise I'm going to post a bunch of stuff this weekend and following week. And reviews make me happy. DON'T YOU WANT TO MAKE ME HAPPY?<strong>


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks everyone for the reviews! I forgot to say that with my last update. You guys are the best!**

**Music**

**Don't Move - Phantogram **(School)

**Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire **(Elijah being Elijah lol)

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><p><em>School had finally begun, finding its pace that students feared so much. It had only been a few weeks, and Hayley was already getting senioritis. She had never been a fan of school, quickly getting through the day with as little effort as possible. The drama people threw themselves into bored her. As she walked through the hallways after last period, decorated signs filled the hallways. Homecoming was coming up and to say the student council was really excited about it, was an understatement. She rolled her eyes at the posters before twisting her lock.<em>

_ Every teenage chick flick or TV show made school dances seem so memorable and deep. But Hayley's early high school experience revealed to her that dances were filled with bad music, mostly drunk students, and dancing that became awkward when all your teachers watched. She'd quickly got over the routine of getting a dress, a date, and her nails done. Before even meeting Elijah, Hayley told herself she'd be missing all dances if she could help it. _

_ "On a scale of one to ten, how annoyed are you about all the homecoming shit?" Hayley's best friend, Janet, always came to her locker after school so they could walk to their cars together. It was their daily closure to repetitive and boring schooling. The normalcy was welcomed. _

_ Hayley laughed, seeing how well her friend knew her. "I'd say right about now it's at a 7…but it's only going to get worse."_

_ Janet smiled. She didn't mind the extravagances as much as Hayley. "So I heard about some boys that were interested in asking you…" She said. Her eyes looked skeptical, not knowing how her friend would react._

_ "I doubt it. I think I've made it pretty clear, I have no desire to go." Hayley shrugged. Yeah, there were always boys interested in her. But she was oblivious to them, mostly because they only liked the idea of her. Janet always guessed it was the fact she was so uninterested with the high school scene and boys took it as a challenge of playing hard to get. _

_ Everything Hayley did made her stick out, but she was just being herself. It caused attention that most of the time she didn't observe. She wore more fashion forward and risky clothes than the typical Abercrombie or simply V-neck with skinny jeans and flip-flops. Her hair was always cut shorter when everyone else was terrified of cutting even an inch off. Although, she was in the phase of growing it out. _

_ Her maturity and boredom with the teenage years made it hard for her to relate to the adolescence of her peers. In no way was she condescending or snobby, she just always appeared a little out of place and ahead of the game. And to many, it came off as intimidating. Her thick sarcasm and confidence didn't help either._

_ "Don't you think you should go? I mean it's your last year. Time to slack off and make all the memories." Janet asked, distraught. _

_ "I think I'll just take some of your memories, Janet. I'm living vicariously through you. Don't worry, I'll go dress shopping with you and go to your pictures. It will be like I'm there but not really." Hayley laughed. They were at their cars now. Janet sighed; knowing nothing she said would change her best friend's mind. Defeated, she climbed into her car and half-heartedly waved bye._

_ When Hayley walked into her house, she finally turned on her phone to see that she had a voicemail. Before even checking it, she knew it wouldn't be Elijah. He never called her during school. Ever since the start of the academic year, he made sure nothing he did would distract her from her education. The efforts annoyed Hayley more than anything. Without him, she would still hate and disregard school._

_ "Hayley, call me back when you get this." It was her mother, unfortunately. Quickly dialing her number, Hayley wanted to get the conversation over with. On the second dial, her mother picked up the phone._

_ "So I just found out that homecoming is in two weeks…"_

_ "Yeah, so?" Hayley answered._

_ "Well, you're going aren't you?" Her mother asked._

_ "No. It's a stupid tradition. I already went freshman and sophomore year; it's the same thing every time. I don't like school dances." Hayley felt it was ridiculous that she had to explain herself._

_ "You're going." Her mother stated._

_ "That's funny." Hayley laughed mockingly. Her mom tried to act like she was up to date on all the girly events the school ever hosted. And what bigger event than homecoming? Hayley saw it as a big effort of compensation for everything else her mother was absent in. By forcing her to social gatherings, it somehow made her a good parent; every thing else was overlooked._

_ "I'll pay for everything. The dress, shoes, nails, hair! Honestly Hayley, I don't know any reason why you wouldn't want to go. So you're going. Stop being anti-social." Her mother hung up. Hayley looked at her phone with pure rage. She almost threw it on the floor but controlled herself. "Fucking incredible." She whispered._

_ "Why won't you go?" A voice sounded from behind her. It was one of the very rare times Hayley didn't jump, probably because she was too angry to be scared. Elijah standing next to her slowly eased her to a calmer state though. _

_ "I don't want to." Hayley said simply. _

_ Elijah crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "You should go." _

_ She rolled her eyes seeing where this was going. "Look, it's not because of you if that's what you're thinking. I wouldn't go…even more I met you." She understood that he constantly worried being a part of her life stopped her from experiencing normal things. He didn't want her to miss out on anything because of him. _

_ "I think you should go to the dance, Hayley." He stood his ground._

_ "I don't want to. Please, I already have to deal with my mother. I don't need to add you to the mix." She moved toward him, kissing him softly. The proper greeting had been delayed._

_ Elijah smiled. "How was school?" _

_ "It was school." Hayley laughed._

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><p><em>It was finally the weekend and Hayley lay in Elijah's bed, lacking clothes. He toyed with her hair as she looked at her phone. She was supposed to meet Janet later, in the city, to go shopping for dresses. After her mom threatened to take away anything important, her car and cell phone some of the things included, and Elijah's constant push of his own opinions about her going, she had no choice but to attend homecoming. But Hayley was far from happy about it. Janet put out the word that she was attending, getting rid of the rumor that Hayley would be out of the town for the dance. And only two days later, one of her friends, Luke, asked her to the dance.<em>

_ The whole thing made Hayley a little uncomfortable. She'd heard rumors that he had a slight crush on her for a while now. And all she could hope was her acceptance to his invitation didn't give him the wrong message. Plus, everyone thought Hayley was a single, no one even knowing of Elijah's existence. _

_She'd avoided telling Elijah any thing about Luke maybe thinking they were going as more than just friends. But unfortunately for her, Elijah had overheard Janet on the phone making a comment about it. He didn't get upset; to be worried about a 17 year-old boy seemed sort of ridiculous. But Hayley considered the fact he couldn't take her himself was what bothered him more than anything. Not that going to a high school dance was on the top of his list for a good time. Hayley was just bad at hiding her desire to be able to take him, her secret love. Even though she never spoke of it aloud, Elijah caught it._

_ Her cell phone beeped again. "Looks like I won't be able to make it down town. I'm so sorry!" She read Janet's text. Turning to look at Elijah. "No dress shopping means no dress. Guess I can't go to the dance!" Hayley said excitedly._

_ "You actually believe you're getting out of it that effortlessly?" He eyed. She lay next to him, her hand placed on his abdomen. Her eyes looked up at him in the sad pout. If she couldn't talk her way out of it, she'd have to use guilt and sympathy._

_ Elijah shook his head at her, clearly amused at her efforts. Thinking for a moment, he looked at her. "Get dressed." He instructed. _

_Hayley glared at him. "What for?" _

"_You have to get a dress." He replied nonchalantly. Realization hit Hayley, as she understood what he meant. She pulled the covers over her head, like it would stop him from taking her. _

"_No! I refuse. You can't make me." She giggled under the covers. _

"_Hayley, you realize your mother is going to make you go, dress or no dress. Why not make the process less painful, shall we?" Elijah said to her through the covers._

_He heard her sigh. "Fine."_

_Being in the big city of Chicago, it wasn't hard to look for dozens of stores to find a dress. But Elijah only went to a few. As they walked down the street, two men walked past them. One looked Hayley up and down. She, of course, was oblivious. But Elijah caught it, annoyed by him. He gently grabbed her hand, linking their fingers. The gesture caught Hayley off guard and she immediately looked around to find the reasoning. Her eyes caught the man who wasn't being subtle about checking her out._

_She looked up at Elijah as they continued walking, moving away from the two men. "Who knew Elijah would be so territorial?" Hayley laughed as she tightly held onto his hand. He only looked back at her, not denying it. As she looked up to see what store he was steering her toward, she stopped. Her eyes read _Neiman Marcus.

"_Elijah, I can't get a dress here. This is all designer, it's too expensive." Although she would probably love every dress in the store, her mother didn't give her _that_ much money to spend. As much as Hayley would enjoy emptying her mothers bank account._

_He let go of her hand and turned to face her. "If I can't take you to the dance, the least I can do is buy you a dress. Don't try and argue. Just attempt to cooperate."_

_Sometimes Elijah and Hayley were able to act like a couple without getting strange looks. Many believed she looked old enough to be dating Elijah. Luckily this was one of those times. If it hadn't been, Hayley would have immediately left due to the looks of disapproval and whispering. She slowly drifted from Elijah as a clerk approached him. Anyone could guess by his demeanor that he was the one with the money, not her. Looking at the one of the dresses, Hayley looked at the price tag that read $2,500. Her mouth opened slightly. "Stop looking at price tags and pick out something you like." Elijah whispered in her ear._

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><p><strong>You know I love hearing from you guys ;) Review pretty pretty please.<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**So I woke up with my mailbox filled with reviews and people adding my story to their favorite/following list. Talk about awesome! Thanks a lot guys! Just a little hint about an upcoming chapter...Elena will be making a tiny cameo. Get excited. **

**Music**

**Origins - Tennis **(Getting Ready)**  
>Not In Love - Crystal Castles<strong> (Dance)

**The Ice Is Getting Thinner - Death Cab For Cutie **(Luke slow dance)

**Beach Baby - Bon Iver **(SLOW dance)

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><p><em>It's funny how time works. When spent happily, time leaves quickly. But avoiding time only makes it fight harder. So it didn't surprise Hayley when the dreaded dance snuck up on her. She awoke to her mom shaking her sleeping body, informing her it was time to get ready. Swearing under her breath, she got ready to go to the salon to get her hair done.<em>

_ Janet had already texted her a million things, informing her she'd be coming over early to do Hayley's make-up and get ready together in general. Hayley tried really hard not to ruin the fun for her friends by lacking enthusiasm. She threw on a smile for everyone, hoping not to wreck everyone's fun. _

_As she got her hair done and forced a fake, cheerful conversation with the stylist, Hayley kept looking at her phone. She was waiting for Elijah to call or text, anything. Last night, he had told her he'd most likely be out of town for the day. But he'd promise he was only finding a very old and powerful witch, no one anywhere near Klaus. Hayley knew she shouldn't worry, because he wouldn't have said anything about if it were really dangerous. If Elijah were trying to find Klaus, he wouldn't have said anything. He never lied to her and she couldn't lie to him if she tried. _

_Her time of getting ready felt like it was dragging on for days. After an hour, the hairdresser had made a masterpiece of Hayley's hair. On an everyday basis, it was down and messy in an honestly careless manner. But after her appointment, the stylist had put her hair in a low arrangement, a bun made of loops weaving in and out. Her side bangs relaxed, making the hair look effortless and natural._

_As Janet excitedly did Hayley's make-up, she tried to match her delight. After she was done, she looked in the mirror. It was still her she was looking at, just enhanced. When Hayley showed Janet her dress, she gasped in awe. She'd managed to get rid of any tags that proved how expensive it was, but she couldn't help if anyone had seen it on the runway. It was a pale peach tone that grazed the floor. There was no glitter, no sequins, and no sparkles; that was all too girly for Hayley's taste. The dress cinched at the waist with layering and draping. The straps were made of matching lace color that worked its way down the bodice. _

_Anyone that saw the dress would realize whoever's body it was on would stick out in the best way. But if Hayley were being forced to attend this event, she would go out with a bang. Putting on the dress, she looked at the mirror now that everything was put together. She sighed at all the work it took to make her look this way._

"_Can you just do the world a favor and become a model." Janet commented._

_Hayley rolled her eyes. "Will you stop? I'm just all dolled up for this dance. Anyone can be a called a model when they're dressed like this." She took in her friend's final appearance. Janet had refused to show her the dress until it was put together with every detail. _

"_Janet, you look…absolutely amazing." Hayley said completely sincere. Janet's light brown hair and hazel eyes were complimented by an olive green dress. Her hair was half way up and curls cascaded around her shoulders. There was a sudden urge to hug her friend. She couldn't help but be a tiny bit jealous of how easily Janet flowed with everything. She didn't get stuck on things and just smiled her way through life. Hayley envied how simply she just lived the life of a typical teenage girl. It was then that Hayley decided she would try her hardest to have fun, for her and Janet's sake._

_The doorbell rang and Hayley's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know why, but her first thought was that it was Elijah. "That must be the boys!" Janet said excitedly. She just smiled in return. Her friend scooted her out of the room. Hayley grabbed her clutch and took in a deep breath before walking downstairs. Luke and Janet's date, Mike were good friends. And both were talking in their suits, probably more excited than Hayley was. Luke was tall, blonde, and one of the star athletes of the school. He was a walking high school cliché but he was also really sweet. _

_He stared in silence as Hayley made her way into the room. She smiled at him and greeted him with a hug. "You look great." He said softly to her as Janet and Mike were distracted with their own conversation. She thanked him quietly. _

"_Ready to go?" Mike asked the two of them. They both nodded. The four of them were all driving together in Luke's car. Hayley sat in the front with him. For the rest of the night, a smile was plastered on her face. She hoped eventually it would turn real. _

_When they entered their poorly decorated gym, the music was already blasting and significant amounts of people were already dancing. She started her award-winning act by smiling at Luke and grabbing his hand. "Come on, let's dance."_

_The night went on and at some points Hayley did seem to be having fun. Although the music was awful, as usual, Luke and her just joked about it, dancing along anyways. She told Luke that she was going to get a drink of water. Going to her purse, she checked her phone. No messages no missed calls. She stared at the blank screen, wishing Elijah hadn't convinced her to come._

_The dance was coming to close. It always ended with the DJ making some cheesy comment and informing them they were finishing with a slow dance. Everyone always danced with his or her date obviously. Luke immediately found her for the last dance. Before this, she'd avoided all slow dances with him, refusing to deal with the awkwardness that would ensue. But she would be the cruelest date ever if she didn't dance with him for the last song. As the beat began, Luke placed his hands unevenly on her waist. "I'm really glad you decided to come tonight. I know that wasn't your original plan." Luke said quietly to her. He was being so nice to her. Maybe if the timing had been different, Hayley could see him how he wanted her to. But she loved Elijah, and Luke would only be in his shadow. _

"_I'm glad I came too. I had a lot of fun with you." Hayley essentially lied. But if she were forced to go to a dance, it would always be with him. Luke would never catch her white lie. He was too happy dancing with her. That was when she looked around at the couples surrounding her. Some dates that just came as friends, were laughing and joking as they danced. But it seemed everyone around her area were dating, holding each other closer than everyone else. A few kissed, it suddenly made Hayley uncomfortable. _

_Clearing her throat, she backed away from Luke. "Do you mind if I get some fresh air real quick? I'm not feeling so good all of a sudden." She said quickly._

"_Yeah, of course. Are you okay? Do you want me to come with you?" Luke asked sincerely with a concerned look on his face._

"_No, you don't have to come with. I just got a little hot. I'm fine, I promise." Hayley rushed from the gym and found a secluded hallway where she knew no one would find her. She slowly opened up her clutch and grabbed her phone. Her fingers automatically pressed their way to what her mind wanted her to do. Putting her phone to her ears, she listened to the phone ringing. But he didn't pick up. _

_Her eyes watered a little. But they would never turn to tears. Hayley was never one to cry. Ever since she grew into her teenage years, she could count on one hand how many times she allowed it. She hated crying; always feeling it showed a sign of weakness. She was sick of playing this game for everyone. This wasn't her and it only made her feel guilty that she couldn't play the part others expected. Taking a few deep breaths, she got herself together and started walking back towards the gym to find Luke and her friends. _

_By the time she got to the gym, the dance just ended and people were rushing out. Luke found her and asked if she was ok. She just nodded and smiled reassuringly. The four of them laughed as they walked to the car, joking about stuff from the night. Luke dropped Janet and Mike off at an after party. He couldn't go because he had football practice early the next morning. Hayley took that as an excuse for why she didn't want to go either. Luke small talked on the short ride to Hayley's house. _

_Finally sitting in her driveway, the lights were on for once because of her parents. They were most likely sleeping, Hayley noted in her head. She looked over at Luke. "Thanks for everything, Luke." She put a piece of hair behind her ear, but he didn't notice. "Anytime." Luke replied. Before he expected anything more, she opened the door. As she walked around the front of the car, she gave him a last wave and started walking up the path to her door. There was no need to turn around to see if he was still sitting there, she heard the car pull away before she reached her door. She stood at the steps staring at her front door. _

"_You look beautiful." Hayley heard behind her. She quickly spun to look at Elijah who stood a couple yards away, looking up at her with his hands casually in his pockets. Her smile was sad as she saw how dejected he looked. Surely he saw Luke dropping her off. She could only guess how the image of her with him made Elijah feel._

"_Hey." Her voice was uneven and her greeting covered in sadness. She slowly walked to him._

"_I question your date. He didn't even have sense to walk you to the door?" Elijah raised an eyebrow, displeased. Hayley ignored his comment as she closed the distance between them. Her arms went around him, pulling him close. He held onto her tightly, knowing everything she couldn't say was being told by her action. She let out a sigh as she pulled away to look into his eyes._

"_Gentlemen are a dying breed, Elijah. I think you need to lower your standards." She smiled mockingly at him. But it faded as she continued. "I didn't expect to see you tonight. I'm glad you're okay. I started worrying about you." Her voice was so soft._

"_There's no need to worry about me. And I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself if I missed you tonight." He quickly kissed her. "Will you accompany me? I wish to show you something." He asked. Hayley instantly nodded. Elijah grabbed her hand and led her to the car that she was just now noticing. As he opened the door for her, he held her hand to help her get inside gracefully. _

_When Elijah got into the car, he saw that she was looking out the window into the night. "Is everything alright?" He asked her as he started to drive away from her house. She turned and smiled at him. "Now it is."_

_Elijah grabbed her hand and kissed it without looking away from the road. This was what felt right to Hayley. This was where she was the happiest. She could actually breath and relax with Elijah. Her head rested on the back of the seat. It didn't matter where he was taking her, because as long as she was with him, she'd be content._

_It was extremely difficult for Elijah to concentrate on driving. His eyes continuously wanted to tear away from the rode to gaze at Hayley. He'd always seen her as unconditionally beautiful, but he'd never seen her dressed so much like a…woman. Her constant leather jackets and boots were her personality, which he loved her for. But seeing her in this manner was just a pleasant break from the usual. _

_Finally down town, Hayley began looking around to try and figure out where he was taking her. "Where we going?" She finally asked with a smile._

"_You'll see." Her hand was still in his._

_They were parked outside what looked like the hotel. She looked up to see it was the Palmer House Hotel, one of, if not the oldest hotel in the city. It was already one in the morning, so the lobby was empty. The clerks at the front desks were conveniently absent for the moment. Elijah didn't say a word as he guided her around the huge hotel. There were so many hallways that branched off and doors that Hayley didn't understand how he knew where they were going. _

_He finally opened a door. Hayley's eyes were flooded with darkness. She couldn't make out a thing, but clearly Elijah's vampire eyes would be able to see. Suddenly, his mouth was at her ear. "Wait here." His whisper caused shivers to go up her spine._

_A moment later, the lights were turned on. She gasped at her surroundings. They were in, what she assumed, was one of many ballrooms in the hotel. Plush carpet was under her feet. Pillars were lined against one wall and right behind them sat a wall of mirrors. Gold detailing was everywhere. And an extravagant chandelier was above her head dripping in gold and crystal. As she spun, taking in the whole room, her eyes eventually fell on Elijah who was observing her reaction._

"_What are we doing here?" She asked confused. He disappeared again in a blur. That was when Hayley's ears heard music start to play. Elijah was once again at her side out of nowhere._

_He cordially offered her his hand. "May I have this dance?" His charming smile came right on cue. Hayley giggled. "What?" _

"_I needed to have the last dance." Elijah explained as if it was obvious._

_She beamed at him. Slowly grabbing his hand, they stood in the ballroom stance instead of her familiar swaying form. "I don't know how to waltz or anything fancy…strictly swaying. I hope you remember I was raised in the 21__st__ century." Hayley said a little nervous. _

"_I will show you." He said as he pulled Hayley nearer. His gracefulness surprised her. He guided her across the floor as the song played. It was basically impossible for her to mess up the steps with him leading. He twirled her body swiftly in a circle and Hayley started giggling. All the misery she went through that night disappeared. She couldn't imagine ending the night any better. _

"_You, Elijah Mikaelson, are full of surprises." She smiled._

"_I believe this evening is the last and only occasion I'm willing to share you with another man. Next time, I'm keeping you to myself." He said with a tilt of his head. Hayley moved closer to him, her chin resting over the edge of his shoulder._

"_Does it bother you…how we are at such different places in life?" She asked._

"_I only worry that I stop you from experiencing human things. There's nothing that could make me happier than having you in my life." He was silent for a moment before he continued. "I saw you with Luke and all I kept thinking was he should be the one you're with. He's human, and he won't put you in danger like I do. You would have normalcy if you loved him."_

"_But I don't love him. And I never will. Most people don't realize this, but some experiences are worth missing. I don't want you to think that you're the reason I miss out on things. Sometimes it's my choice. And normalcy is make-believe. Even if you were human, Elijah, normalcy would never have been guaranteed." She moved her head so she could look at him. "So no more forcing me to dances okay?"_

"_Okay." Elijah settled. "Even though you look beautiful when you are forced."_

"_You said that earlier. But thank you." Hayley shyly took the compliment._

"_Yes, and I meant it." Elijah whispered in her ear._

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><p><strong>Review. I promise I'm going to get a lot of chapters out this week.<strong>

_Dress:_

_http:/i00..com/img/pb/694/950/442/442950694__

_Hotel:_

_http:/i00..com/img/pb/694/950/442/442950694__

_/upload/2011/04/2011_4__


	24. Chapter 24

**A lot of people have been sending me reviews saying they weren't a fan of Elijah until they read my story. That's just fucking great lol. You're all the best followers ever. I highly recommend listening to the music as you read this.**

**Music**

**Outra - M83 **(Esters Plan)

**Redford - Sufjan Stevens **

**252 - Gem Club **(Elena)

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><p>Out of all the Mikaelson children, Elijah was the most composed. He didn't base his actions on emotions before thoroughly thinking them over. So the fact he'd just kidnapped Elena, was unlike him. He'd instructed his sister to watch over her and at any moment, if he gave the signal, she would kill her. If there were any other way to save his brothers and sister, he would have done it instead. But Elena was the perfect collateral and Elijah would do anything to save his family. It tore him apart to put his morals aside to save the people that were dearest to him. But he couldn't allow himself to think about it.<p>

Through the chaos of everything, Hayley still managed to slip into his mind. There were moments throughout the night where he swore he could hear her heartbeat, smell her perfume, or catch her reddish blonde hair in the corner of his vision. If he died tonight, she would never flood his senses again. Protecting her all this time now appeared like a wasted effort. Someone managed to hurt Elijah without threatening the one thing he loved more than his family.

Klaus, Kol, and Elijah walked to the witches burial grounds as a last effort to stop their mother and suicidal brother from destroying their family.

"That's lovely, we're stuck out here while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb!" Kol spat.

"Be quite, Kol. Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine." Ester spoke with daggers staring straight back at her youngest son.

Elijah finally spoke. "Whatever you think of us, killing your own children will be an atrocity." He was always good with words, but he doubted his skills would have any effect on his mother. There was no convincing her to change her decision. He knew that already.

"My only regret is that I did not kill you a thousand year ago." She answered.

"Enough. All this talk is boring me. End this now mother, or I'll send you back to hell." Klaus paced back and forth. He wasn't used to being one step behind. His mother's sudden twist in her plan came at him by surprise.

"For a thousand years; I've been forced to watch you, felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood." Her attention suddenly switched from her hybrid son to her eldest. Ester's gaze was still enraged but slightly mellowed as her eyes met Elijah's.

"Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility. You're no better. As soon as you left Hayley, you changed back to the monster you'd always been. Your emotions due to heartbreak and separation made you kill and torture more than ever. There was a impulsive loss of self-control in you."

"How dare you speak of her to me. She has nothing to do with this." Hearing her name come from his mother's mouth ignited a certain rage within Elijah. Kol looked confused at what she spoke of, looking from his brother to Ester. But Klaus' remained collected.

Ester regarded all of her sons now. "All of you, you're a curse on this earth, stretched out over generation. If you've come to plead for your life…Sorry, you've wasted your time."

Panic quickly overtook Ester. Closing her eyes, she begged for the spirits she was channeling not to leave. Without them, the sacrifice would never complete. The lit torches burned into an explosion forcing Klaus, Elijah, and Kol to look away. When their glance returned, Ester and Finn were gone. It was over, for now. They were still linked. But their mother had lost the power necessary to kill them with magic. "Well it seems the Salvatore brothers aren't as incompetent as I thought." Klaus said with devilish smirk. Even though he hid it well, he feared for him and his sibling's lives just as much as Elijah.

They began to walk away from the grounds, back to Klaus' mansion, the closest thing they had to a home. Once back inside, Elijah stared out the window. His guilt gradually trickled into his conscience. Elena was innocent, but as usual, she got sucked into problems that were not her own. Ester's words repeated in his head. "…you changed back to the monster you'd always been." She was right. Leaving Hayley made him embody the worst side of himself. He fed on and killed countless victims. Elijah danced on a fine line of vampire and ripper. Before his thoughts destroyed him, he turned to leave the mansion.

Elena wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked up the stairs to her room. Caroline was right; Bonnie always suffered because her friendship with Elena. And it wasn't just Bonnie, it was everyone that cared about Elena. The house was empty and she felt like the silence was starting to eat away at her. Jeremy's door was sitting open, just another sign that he was far away. As she made it into her room, she jumped at the sight of Elijah. Her heart immediately started pounding faster. He turned at the sound of it.

"I promise, I mean you no harm, Elena." Elijah said quickly. He knew she trusted his word; there was nothing else he needed to do to prove himself. "I came to apologize…for everything I put you through. I expect you of all people to understand that the actions I chose tonight were all made for the safety of my family. If I had any other choice, I would have taken it."

Elena's arms were crossed, uncomfortably. "I understand. I was just easy bait…I get it." The tears on her face were not yet dry. She hoped he didn't realize she had just finished crying.

"Your compassion for your friends and family is something I admire, Elena. Never lose it. I'm sorry that you feel you cause them so much harm." Elijah said as he gave her a handkerchief.

"My compassion? It's a weakness." Elena said matter of fact.

"I use to believe that also. I went through desperate measures to make sure no one knew of my weakness. But all that time, I kept it away when I could have taken a risk. I was overprotective. A life of love with risk is better than ridding those you care about in order to protect them, Elena."

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Who are you talking about?" She asked slowly. It was obvious that he wasn't speaking of his family.

Elijah looked at her silently. He never intended on telling her about Hayley. He'd never told anyone. Ester already knew of her existence when he spoke of her to his mother. But the guilt of endangering Elena's life made Elijah believe he should give her the answers that she inquired.

"A girl." He said, hoping maybe she'd leave it at that.

Elena's mouth dropped a little. His answer caught her off guard. "I never knew that there was a…you never talked about her. You've kept her a secret all this time?" He nodded his head at her question. Her tone was filled with sympathy.

"That was precisely what I meant to do. I did it to protect her, from Klaus to be exact. However it was pointless in the end."

"But where is she? How did she just let you go so easily?" Elena spoke quickly, wanting to know everything he'd kept to himself for so long. At her question, she'd never seen Elijah so sad before. More than sad, he was heartbroken.

"I compelled her to forget that I existed. My motivation to seek revenge on Klaus was dwindling every day I spent with her. The longer I stayed with her, the more likely he could use her to get anything he wanted from me. You recognize Klaus' nature perfectly well by now, I assume." He waited; his thoughts were back to a time with Hayley. "She's only a couple years older than you, in her second year of college now." He finished, looking at her.

Nothing about Elena reminded him of her. They looked completely different. And their personalities did not match up in any way. Hayley was strong and concealed her faults with humor and charm. There were more layers to her than Elena. Elijah respected her, but she was too different for him to be attracted to Elena. He'd learned from his mistakes of getting involved with doppelgängers. It wasn't worth all the trouble anymore.

Elena was speechless. She could never look at Elijah the same. Everyone knew that he had a soft side but they never expected something like this. She understood why he was telling her everything. They both went to extreme measures to protect the ones they loved. And they couldn't always succeed. Jeremy was compelled to go to Denver and he knew that once, she had taken away his memory.

"Now knowing my secret, you must see that I seek forgiveness for the danger I put you in. Damon, Stefan, and I are not so different. All of us would do anything to protect the girl we love. However, if the rolls were reverse, I doubt they would still be alive. I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you, Elena."

Elijah started to exit the room. He didn't want to intrude on her any longer. He'd come to say what he wanted; it was time to leave. As he reached the door Elena's rushed voice made him stop.

"I think you should go back to her. It's none of my business…but I just…you deserve happiness as much as all of us, Elijah."

"My family and I are monsters. She's better off without me." Elijah said after a moment of thinking about her words. Elena just nodded her head slowly, knowing that her opinion would never sway him into doing something so impulsive.

"What's her name?" Elena almost whispered.

"Hayley." And with that, he disappeared in a haze. Elena was once again alone in an empty house. She moved to her bed and sat, thinking about everything she'd overlooked. She thought she knew Elijah, but he was someone completely different than she had originally thought.

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><p><strong>REVIEWWWWWW. please :)<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

**OMG. You guys have been giving me the nicest reviews ever. As usual, thank you so much. Warning: Tissues may be needed.**

__**Music**

**Red Arrow (John) - Gem Club**

**Beast - Nina Kinert **(Leaving)

**Embers - Max Richter**

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><p><em>An unexpected knock was at Elijah's door. He could already sense it wasn't Hayley. He found Jonas looking quite uncomfortable on the other side. "Jonas, I wasn't expecting you." He quickly greeted and showed him into his apartment.<em>

_ "Yes, I know. I needed to speak with you, Elijah." Jonas informed him._

_ "Alright, what is it?" He asked as he gestured for him to sit._

_ "We've been in Chicago for too long. There is nothing else that will help us here. Elijah, your desire to hunt down and kill Klaus is slowly disappearing. Hayley has changed you. She's altered your incentive and priorities. I understand if your motives have changed, but my son and I are only with you for one reason: to find and get my daughter back. If we are no longer on the same page, I'm afraid our time together has come to an end." Jonas shifted in his seat in discomfort. He didn't know how Elijah would react to what he had to say._

_ Elijah was quiet as the warlock's words sunk in. Everything he'd said was true. Someone else just needed to point it out for it to be clear to him. Elijah's love for Hayley replaced his hatred for Klaus and his motivation to kill him was dying. How had he not noticed it earlier? They were meant to stay in Chicago for only a few weeks and it had now become a few months. _

_ Perhaps it was Elijah's inability to affirm what needed to be done if he were to move on to find Klaus. How could he leave Hayley here, by herself, so defenseless? And she already feared for him, she would never be able to handle him leaving for an indefinite amount of time._

_ "The longer you stay with her, the more danger you put her in." Jonas added when he didn't respond._

_ "I know that." Elijah snapped, which made Jonas jolt slightly in his seat._

_ "Klaus could be anywhere. We haven't been able to locate him in weeks. We need to keep moving, keep looking for anything that could help us. It isn't in Chicago. Bring her if you must. We just need to get back on track."_

_ Once again, silence ensued. Jonas knew not to push him. Elijah was composed and was never to be misjudged. His silence meant he was thinking hard about the matter at hand and was not to be disturbed. _

_ "We will leave tomorrow." Elijah confirmed._

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><p><em>Hayley sat at her kitchen counter, in sweats with, her hood up. Mindless cartoons were playing on the TV as she ate a bowl of cereal. It was just another Saturday morning, in the middle of October. She looked out the window to see that forest at the edge of her backyard was full of orange, yellow, and red instead of the usual green. Fall was her favorite season. It had the best weather, good food, and a change in scenery. It made her feel the most like herself.<em>

_ Tomorrow was Hayley's birthday. She'd be turning 18. Getting excited to celebrate your own birthday always seemed weird to her. They always turned out bad anyways. Everyone always built them up and then became surprised when their expectations weren't met. Last year, her parents forgot about it and tried to play it off by calling the next day to send her wishes. _

_ She'd failed to tell Elijah about her birthday. A part of her feared the measures he would take to get her something. It wouldn't be beyond him to fly her to Paris for the weekend or something ridiculous like that. Hayley understood that money had no value to him. It was something that was just there. But that didn't change how uncomfortable it made her sometimes. Buying her an Elie Saab dress at homecoming was enough for a lifetime, and even that she struggled with allowing._

_ Hayley was still in her zombie mode and she leaned against the counter, drinking her mug of coffee. Roscoe lay looking up at her with sad eyes. She looked outside to see that it was the perfect autumn day. It was in the sixties and the usual cloudy overcast made today perfect._

_ "Want to go for a walk?" She asked her dog. Roscoe's ears perked up and his tail immediately started wagging. Hayley ran upstairs to change. She pulled her hair up into a sleek ponytail; put on black jeans, black loafers, and a grey pea coat. Roscoe jumped around excited for his walk. _

_ She walked out the door, with Roscoe in tow, and locked it. Her cell phone was in her coat pocket as it vibrated. Hayley struggled to grab it when Roscoe pulled her ahead, eager to keep the walk at a fast pace. _

_ "Elijah." Hayley answered with a grin._

_ "I'm a little upset with you right now." Everything in his voice sounded off, but she knew he didn't mean he was actually mad at her._

_ "Is that so?" She played along._

_ "When were you planning on informing me your birthday is tomorrow?" _

_ "Uh…well how exactly was I supposed to throw that into a conversation? I hate celebrating my birthday. It's so unnecessary and pointless. Wait, how did you even find that out?" She asked concerned._

_ "I have my ways." Elijah answered. There it was again. Something was off and Hayley needed to find out. He was acting unlike himself._

_ "Is everything ok, Elijah? It sounds like something's wrong." She asked carefully._

_ "I assure you, everything is fine." He quickly replied._

_ That was the first time Elijah lied to Hayley._

_ "Ok…so did you just call to yell at me about my birthday?" She smiled._

_ "No I was calling to let you know I'm giving you my present tonight."_

_ "Elijah! That's exactly why I didn't tell you. No presents! I'm serious; you don't need to get my anything. Please." Hayley said unnerved. _

_ "I'll see you tonight." Elijah ignored her protests and hung up the phone._

_ Hayley looked at her phone with concern. Everything seemed out of place, she could feel it. Roscoe looked up at his owner with his head tilted to the side. She told herself she would ask him tonight. _

_ When she got back from walking Roscoe, the mood to paint suddenly hit her. Hayley ran upstairs to her bedroom. With her headphones on and music blasting, the brush started its strokes against the blank canvas. Two hours later, she was finished with her painting. It seemed different to her. She stood up and looked at it from further away. After a few minutes passed, it hit her. The painting was so different than any others she'd ever made. This one looked… happy. The colors, the vibe, everything about it looked blissful. She smiled at it, knowing the reasoning for the unexpected change. _

_ A yawn interrupted the viewing of the painting. She hadn't slept at all last night. The wind storm kept her up. The sound of branches scratching the side of her house and the creaking of wood wouldn't allow Hayley's mind to rest. Looking at the time, she told herself that she could take a catnap before Elijah came over. She lay on top of her rarely made bed; it only took a few moments for her to fall asleep._

_ An hour or so later, Hayley felt lips faintly pressed onto her cheek. Her eyes slowly opened to meet Elijah's deep brown irises. He then kissed her other cheek. She closed her eyes again and her lips fell into a tired smile. "Hey you." She murmured. Outside the window, the sun had just set. The clouds were surrounded in pink and purple, preparing for the night sky._

_ "I'm sorry I fell asleep. I didn't know when you'd be coming." She sat up and leaned into Elijah's body, who was now sitting on the edge of her bed. _

_ "It's quite alright." He replied. "May I give you my present now?" _

_ Hayley looked at him suspiciously. "But technically, it's not my birthday yet."_

_ He ignored her comment and handed her a fairly large box that wasn't covered in wrapping paper, it only had a simple black bow to hold it closed. She cautiously grabbed it from his hands and placed it on her bed to open. Slowly, she untied the ribbon and removed the lid from the box. Her hands clutched around a camera. Hayley gasped as she observed her gift._

_ "Oh my god. This is a Nikon d7000. Elijah, this camera is over a thousand dollars! And that's not even including the lens. You can't give me this." She tried handing it back to him but he wouldn't take it._

_ "Hayley, take the camera. I wanted you to have it. I should be allowed to give you what I wish for your birthday." Hayley stared at the camera in her hands. Elijah watched in amusement, satisfied that she loved her gift. After a few moments of staring in awe at it, she placed the camera on the bed. She wrapped her arms around him, her chin softly resting on his shoulder._

_ "Thank you. It's the best gift I've ever gotten. Oh that reminds me! I got you something. " She rushed off the bed and rummaged through her closet. _

"_Hayley, it's your birthday, not mine." Elijah stated._

"_Yeah but they go together. I've had it for a while; I just didn't know when I should give it to you. And now seems like the perfect time." It wasn't wrapped. In her hand was a combined picture frame with two spaces for photos. In the first was a picture of Elijah leaning against his car smiling at the person holding the camera, which was obviously Hayley. But the other one was what caused Elijah to become captivated. On the other side was a picture of Hayley, her hands in her hair. Both were taken the day Elijah took her to the small town at the lake._

"_I guess it's a little cheesy. But you don't have any pictures. So I thought I'd start your collection." Elijah just stared at the two photos in silence. She misinterpreted his reaction as a sign that he didn't like it. "You don't have to keep it if you don't like it." She said hurriedly and became suddenly unsure if her gift was a success. _

_He shook his head right away. "No, Hayley. It's perfect. Thank you."_

_She smiled at his response, glad that she misjudged it. Reaching over she pulled his face near hers to kiss. Elijah prolonged the embrace. His hands were firmly on her waist, refusing to let her go. His kiss was rushed and it felt like a good-bye. Hayley broke it, noticing something wasn't right. She placed her hands on either side of his face and looked at him with concern. _

_ "Elijah, tell me what's wrong. I know you're keeping something from me."_

_ He took her hands from his face and held them in his own. His eyes stared at her face, memorizing it. The idea of forgetting her beauty seemed ridiculous but Elijah savored it anyhow. There isn't a person in the world that could match her blue-green eyes or strawberry blonde hair. He didn't know what to do. The look in Hayley's eyes made it impossible for him to think clearly. _

_ "You're leaving." Hayley said. Elijah didn't know what gave him away. He always seemed to underestimate her ability to read him. She grew keener with every day she was with him. His eyes looked down at the ground to try and find the words to tell her she was correct. But all he did was look back up at her to confirm the guess._

_ Hayley's grip on his hands tensed instantly, as if that would stop him from leaving. "I'll come with you." The words spilled out of her mouth._

_ But Elijah shook his head no. "You have a life here, Hayley. The best thing for you is to live a normal one. It's not safe for you to accompany me."_

_ Hayley shook her head as tears quietly slid down her face. He'd never seen her cry and he hated how she looked even more beautiful with her eyes covered in tears. She moved away from him to look out the window before turning back to look at him._

_ "Please, Elijah. Don't leave me. He'll kill you. It will be just as unsafe for you as it would be for me. Please, just stay here with me." Her tears were heavier. She wiped them away and stared at her hand as if she hadn't realized she'd been crying until now. Elijah couldn't stand the pain he was causing her. Neither of them would be able to last apart form one another. He knew what he could do to stop this. _

_ Before his heart could stop him, Elijah stood next to her and clutched Hayley's face. They kissed in such a passionate way. They both knew everything was about to change. Their kiss was full of pain, tenderness, and heartbreak. It was meant to distract her, to stop her from grasping what he was about to do. _

_ Elijah pulled away but kept her chin cupped in his hand. He looked deep into her eyes, catching her in a daze. "I love you, and I will forever. You are to forget ever meeting me and disregard any memories we had together. It will be as if I never existed. Now you are going to sleep and when you wake up, I will be forgotten."_

_ Her eyes instantly closed and her body collapsed. Elijah easily caught her and laid her quiet body on top of the bed. His jaw was clenched as he stared at her sleeping. He tried convincing himself that what he did was justified, that it was all to protect and keep her safe. If he hadn't, their separation would've destroyed both of them. It was better if it was only himself. She could move on and live happily without him._

_ Tearing his eyes away from Hayley, Elijah quickly moved around the room and got rid of any evidence of him. He took the negatives of any pictures of him. Before leaving the room, something at her desk caught his eye. A painting of hers he had never seen before. She must have painted it earlier that day for the paint was still wet. Thoughtlessly, he took the painting as a keepsake. One of the few things he allowed himself as a way to remember her. Little did Elijah know that he was also taking away one of the only things that proved Hayley had been happy once._

_ He walked into his apartment later that night to find Jonas and Luka already waiting for him in his apartment. The two of them could tell something in him had changed. His eyes were darker and posture stiff._

_ "Thank you for coming. I require a spell from you before we leave." He regarded both of them so formally. "An original vampire's compulsion is released if daggered. I need you to cast a spell so no matter what happens to me, it will not be broken unless I release them from it myself."_

_ Luka looked at his father, confused at what was going on. But Jonas was too busy staring at Elijah in horror. "What did you do to her?" He whispered._

_ "Can you do the spell or not?" Elijah said through clenched teeth._

_ Jonas only nodded and spoke softly to his son, instructing him on what to do. The father and son joined hands and began chanting incomprehensible words under their breath. The candle that was lit in the room started to flicker. Carefully, they both raised their heads and looked at Elijah._

_ "It's done." Jonas said._

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><p><strong>THE END<strong>

...JUST KIDDING!

**So finally, everyone's same question has been answered. THAT is why they are not together in the present. Is it evil of me to hope that you all cried while reading this? NAHHHH. If you did, I'd love to here about it lol. Review please and thank you :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed! I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on this chapter because I don't think a lot of you expected it to go this direction. I love hearing from you guys! :)**

**Music**

**An Ending (Ascent) - Brian Eno **(Rebekah & Elijah)

**Such a Fool - Band of Skulls **(Elijah driving/leaving)

**Point of Disgust - Low **(Seeing Hayley)

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><p>Elijah was in his room, packing the very few necessities he would need. He was done with this wretched town. His family had fallen apart. Their mother wished them dead and one of his siblings had a death wish. This wasn't what a family felt like. It was time for him to move on. Everything that mattered to him had been thrown to the side, for what? For nothing.<p>

He left Hayley to kill Klaus and when given the chance, he failed. He got his family back but under the worse circumstances possible. It didn't matter where he was going, as long as it wasn't Mystic Falls.

"And where are you going?" Rebekah's voice fluttered into the room.

"Anywhere." He replied without looking at her.

"So I was right?" She sat on his bed watching him move about.

"Right about what, sister?" He inquired.

"It is a girl. Just not Elena." Elijah stopped what he was doing and turned to stare at his sister. He was judging to see if she was just throwing crazy ideas out there of if she truly already knew the answer. "Klaus told me." She added.

Never underestimate how fast information passes throughout a family, especially one full of vampires with sensitive hearing. Elijah didn't want to talk about it anymore. The one time with Elena was more than enough for him to handle in a lifetime. And even if he did, the last person he'd want it to be with is his sister.

"There's no point in torturing yourself any longer, Elijah. Honestly, you're turning into Stefan Salvatore." Rebekah said as she stared at her nails. But her brother raced in front of her, making sure she knew how serious he was.

"Why do you care, Rebekah?" Elijah growled. He was getting sick of everyone talking to him about her. "Ester was right. All my talk of virtue, when it suits my needs, I kill, main, and torment. Even today, I terrorized an innocent."

"Elena is hardly innocent." Rebekah hissed.

"And I used your hatred for her to get what I wanted, wielded you like I would a sword, my sister." He said, ashamed of himself.

"You did it to protect us, Elijah, and rightly so! We deserve to live, we are better than they are." Rebekah defended her brother's actions. The same one's that were causing him so much self-hatred.

"Are we?" Elijah questioned. "Mother made us vampires, she didn't make us monsters. We did that to ourselves. That is why I can't go back to her. Don't you understand? She is good, all I do is corrupt her humanity and put her in danger. I promise, she is probably continuing the life she was always meant to. Everything is better for her if I'm not there."

Rebekah stared at him for a moment. He was pacing now, everything he was saying caused him to be worked up. She waited for him to calm down for a moment so he heard every word she was about to say.

"Maybe you're right, Elijah. But just do yourself a favor. If you want to leave Mystic Falls, fine. But if you go anywhere, go to her. See if she's as happy as you believe she is. And truly ask yourself if she's better off without you. But if you see something surprising, don't be too foolish to admit that both of you would be better off in each other's lives."

Elijah looked at her closely. His eyes narrowed, wondering what game his sister was playing. "Why are you telling me this? You hate humans. You think they are weak and that they're only purpose is to be fed on." He asked skeptically.

Rebekah's tone changed from demanding to honest and soft, an uncommon thing for her. "You ignored your morals to save us tonight, Elijah. All of us bring out the worst in you. I'm trying to make up for the damage we caused."

Elijah gave her one last look before grabbing his small bag. "Good-bye, Rebekah." He quickly left the room. Rebekah heard the front door open and close, followed by a car driving away on their long driveway.

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><p>It was half a day's drive to get from Mystic Falls to Chicago. Elijah planned on cutting it in half with the speed he was going in. With his vampire vision, cops wouldn't be a problem. And if for some reason they were, compulsion always came in handy. He knew exactly where to find Hayley. Over time, he had kept close track of her, knowing her location in case anything happened. She stayed in Chicago, as he knew she would, choosing to go to one of the many colleges in the city.<p>

Six hours had passed, and finally, Elijah was in the city limits. It was strange being back after such a long time. He'd refused to come back to Chicago after what he did to Hayley. The temptation to see her would have been too great. And every place he went here, he was reminded of her in some way.

Since the long drive started late in the evening. He got to the city still quite early in the morning. Hayley lived in the city now, under what circumstances, he didn't know. But he had found the address and expected she would just be getting up. The plan was to follow her, which Elijah was not fond of. But he promised himself that he would keep his distance and only watch her, never interacting.

He waited in his car for her. His human emotions were all over the board. Hayley had not been so close to him since the night he'd compelled her. Elijah's emotions were confusing him about what he expected with what he wished to see from her. He expected her to be happily in love with some human boy, a college sweetheart of some sort. But what he wanted was so different. The selfish part of him hoped she was happy but had no significant other. He never realized how much he was asking for.

It was still too early for her to be up. That was why he was completely unprepared when he saw the back of her locking her door before walking down the stairs to the sidewalk. He cautiously got out of the car to follow her on foot. For the first 5 minutes of trailing her, Elijah was in a daze. He felt like he was in a dream. This wasn't real; she couldn't possibly be standing so close to him. But once his mind finally grasped that this really was reality, he started taking everything in. Her hair was cut into a messy bob, barely able to graze her neck. She walked in high heeled, dark grey, leather boots that went up to her knees. And she wore an oversized military jacket with a crème infinity scarf. Besides the haircut, physically, she hadn't changed that much. Hayley was still the tall and lean girl he'd left. But he had yet to see her face. He'd kept so far behind her that he hadn't got a good glimpse.

Hayley turned into a coffee shop, and Elijah took it as a perfect time to get close without alarming her. In the pit of his stomach, he hoped for some reason Jonas & Luka's spell didn't work. That Hayley remembered everything, only waited for him to come back to her. But his mind inserted reality where it was needed.

"Can I have a vanilla latte please?" His eyes closed a second at the sound of her voice. He got in line behind her, hoping he'd be able to control himself.

As she moved across to wait for her coffee at the other side of the counter, Elijah took his chance to watch her. There were shadows under her eyes that weren't there before. Her eyes had lost the glow from her unyielding charm. And it looked like she hadn't smiled in days. Unexpectedly, her gaze caught Elijah's. If people's deepest desires came true when they were most wished for, Hayley would have shown immediate recognition, a sign that she truly hadn't forgot. But they didn't live in that world, for as soon as she caught his gaze, she turned away again.

Once again she walked into the crisp and cold air of the city, on a mission to get somewhere specific. Elijah presumed she must be late for something; she kept looking at her cell phone to check the time. Perhaps it was another art class she was taking. But Elijah stopped in his tracks as he saw the building she was going into. Hayley swiftly walked into a psychiatrist's office. What was she doing in there? Was that where she worked?

Elijah waited outside for her to leave before he walked into the building. Her scent still lingered and he followed it around the building until he ended up at a front desk of some sort.

"Hello. I was wondering if there was a Hayley Raymond who works here." The older woman at the front desk did a double take, away from her computer, at Elijah. It took her a few moments to register what he'd just asked.

"I'm sorry, we can't share that information." She said apologetically.

Elijah leaned in close, locking eye contact. "It's very important that I find out." He compelled her. The waiting room was empty except for a child, probably waiting for a parent, who wasn't paying them any attention.

"Hayley is a patient here." The receptionist said in a monotone.

Elijah felt sick. This was nothing like he had anticipated. He turned back to the woman, continuing to compel her. "Who is her consultant?"

"Dr. Arch." She quickly replied.

"What room will I find her in?" He quickly asked. She gave him the room number and Elijah turned to find it immediately. As soon as he walked into the doctor's office and saw no one was in there but the two of them, he didn't waste time. He instantly compelled her.

"Tell me everything about Hayley Raymond's case." He stood as she sat watching him with a dazed look in her eyes.

"Hayley has been diagnosed with severe depression." Her voice spoke freely but her body was rigid. "Her case is very unusual and unique. When I first met Hayley, she had extreme symptoms of grief. It was as if she had lost someone dear to her but the confusing part was no on in her life that had passed. We tried every type of antidepressant but nothing seemed to work. Then there was her case of insomnia. She said she's had trouble sleeping ever since she could remember. Mentally and emotionally, she can hardly get through days and nights without some form of medication."

"How did she cooperate with getting treatment?" Elijah asked. He'd just realized that Hayley would never agree to therapy. Her stubbornness and independence would certainly not allow it.

"Her parents threatened not to pay for her college tuition if she didn't come to sessions twice a week. I didn't agree with the terms but after meeting Hayley, I worry what would have happened if she hadn't been forced. She can be quite difficult during sessions. Hayley doesn't believe she has a problem and makes it very clear that she hates coming to in. I think it's frustrating for her. She doesn't understand what triggered her depression. Furthermore, her only support system is her sister and her friends who are all away at different colleges."

Elijah was still, comprehending all the information. It was all because of him. Although the memories were taken away, her body still went into remorse and depression. Everything he predicted and hoped for was completely mistaken. He had left her alone all this time to deal with the mess he'd caused. Elijah was lost. Where was he supposed to go from here? No matter what he decided, he was hurting Hayley in some way. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't she just be happy without him? The only thing he knew right now, was that he wasn't leaving any time soon.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? Concerns? Review. :D<strong>

**Oh btw, in case you were curious... picture Dianna Agron's short hair cut for Hayley's. Every time i try to add a fucking link, it does't work.**


	27. Chapter 27

**OMG people. I'm gonna be honest. I'm really fucking excited for all of you to read this. Seriously. Thanks for the reviews btw!**

**Music**

**I Want You Back - The Civil Wars **(park)

**Make This Go On Forever - Snow Patrol **(storm)

**The Great Escape - Patrick Watson **(Hayley & Elijah)

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><p>The next day Elijah had to make a decision of some sort. He couldn't just stand by and watch her suffer anymore. He had to do something. It was Sunday and he had been outside her apartment all night since he hadn't been invited it. Hayley couldn't sleep for more than an hour at a time. He'd seen her take some form of sleeping pills. But they were no good. Most of the night, her restless body tossed and turned or she just gave up and decided to draw or paint. All he could do was watch as he saw the effects of their separation take toll.<p>

Once 6 a.m. hit, she'd given up on the whole sleeping thing. Hayley grabbed her purse, put on her loafers and coat, and went for a walk. Elijah knew she would never notice him following her. It was really unnecessary at this point, but he couldn't stop himself from trying to find some hint that she could get through this on her own. Eventually they hit a nearby park and Hayley decided that was where she wanted to go. After a few minutes of taking a walk, she sat on a bench next to the pond, beneath a large tree.

Elijah watched from a distance with his hands in his coat pockets. Inner turmoil began in his head. Every part of him wanted to go to her. But something held him back. Out of nowhere, Rebekah's words kept repeating in his mind. "…Don't be too foolish to admit that both of you would be better off in each other's lives." He had to stop fearing what could happen if he went back to her. But he remembered seeing Elena. He was jealous of the risks she took, unaware. Everyone around her was constantly in danger, mostly due to his family. But at least she had them at her side. His hands were clenched into fists at his side because of his frustration.

Before he could stop himself, Elijah's feet started walking towards Hayley. She was staring out onto the large pond. Her thoughts too far away to notice he was standing right next to the bench.

"Do you mind if I sit?" Usually, she would laugh at his charm. But she only nodded silently, hardly even looking at him. Everything in Hayley's appearance showed signs of her sadness. When Elijah first met her, she wasn't happy all the time. But he could barely handle observing the desolate person she'd become.

"It's quite early in the morning for one to be taking a walk." He stated.

She gave a false smile and shrugged her shoulders. "I couldn't sleep."

"Neither could I." Elijah commented. Hayley then turned to really look at him for the first time since he sat next to her. Her eyes peered at him, as if something about Elijah surprised her.

"Have we met before?" She asked.

Elijah looked at her, begging for her to remember. "No, I don't believe we have ever met." He said casually.

"Do you work at Northwestern University?"

"No, is that where you go to school?" His small talk seemed natural. Hayley didn't think anything of it. They were just two strangers who decided it would be nice to talk to someone on an early morning in the park.

"Yeah, I go there." She replied with no enthusiasm.

"What are you studying?" He questioned.

"I'm pre-law." There was an undertone of hatred as she said it aloud.

"Really? Not art?" The words flooded out from Elijah before he could catch himself. Hayley's head shot up and looked at him.

"Why would you think I'd be an art major?" His assumption didn't concern her; she found it more curious than weird.

"You just seem like an artist to me." He smiled at her, which caused a slight blush to form on Hayley's cheeks. There were no words to describe how much he'd missed seeing it. "Plus, there's pieces of dried paint on your hands still."

She looked down at her hands to examine them. "So there is."

"Why didn't you go to art school instead of studying pre-law? It seems like quite a sudden switch of interest."

Hayley sighed at the question. If it were someone she knew asking, she would probably have made up some story. But sometimes, it was easier to tell the truth to strangers. They didn't know you for your past or expectations. To Hayley, Elijah was someone new, who couldn't judge her for anything but who she was right then.

"Honestly? My parents don't understand or care about what makes me happy. They just male me do what they want. In their defense, it's not my money paying for tuition." She shrugged. "It is what it is. Just because I'm not in art school, doesn't mean that I can't still paint and draw and take photographs."

Elijah didn't believe he could hate Hayley's parents any more than right at that moment. They forced her into therapy by threatening not to pay for her college education. And prohibiting her to go to art school only made things worse.

"Anyways, what's your story?" She asked, sort of interested in finding out more about this stranger who asked so many questions about her.

"I'm just waiting for you to remember." Elijah said quietly.

Hayley's brow creased. A smile appeared, trying to make the statement more lighthearted and less real. "I'm sorry?" She let out an uncomfortable laugh.

Thunder suddenly interrupted their conversation. Hayley looked up at the sky to see almost black clouds rolling toward them. She'd forgotten about the severe thunderstorms that were forecast for the day. It was a twenty-minute walk back to her apartment; she'd never be able to beat the storm.

"Oh fuck." She said still looking at the clouds. "I should probably get back to my apartment before I get drenched." Lightning struck, quickly followed by another crash of thunder. The storm was almost right above them. "Looks like I'm getting drenched either way." Hayley finally looked over at Elijah to say good-bye.

"May I walk you home?" He asked faintly. He very much expected her to say no. That she would get uncomfortable with the gesture and he would immediately here the pace of her heart speed up. But Hayley turned her head slightly and regarded him carefully. Something in Elijah grabbed her consideration.

"Sure." Hayley spoke cautiously. It sounded like she was questioning her response more than his intentions. Before she could change her mind she added, "We better hurry." She got up and looked over at him, waiting.

A second later, it began to downpour. The raindrops were so heavy that Hayley could hardly see where she was going. Already, her hair looked as if she'd gone swimming. She paused a moment, looking at Elijah, who was just as soaked as she was. He was wearing such nice clothes and a trench coat over what she guessed was a dress shirt and tie. His hair was short and parted on the side. Hayley noted that he didn't look like he belonged in this era. She couldn't put a finger on what it was that hinted toward it, but he seemed so old fashioned. How did she get caught in this terrible storm with a gentleman who looked like he belonged in a fashion ad?

"What?" Elijah questioned her stoppage. The rain always brought out smells more. And Hayley's scent was driving him crazy. She still used to the same perfume and with it, brought back all his memories of them together. He looked at her eyes; her lashes caught drops of rain causing them to frame her irises even more. After all this time, Elijah had never found another whose eyes were as captivating as hers.

Hayley's mouth slowly turned into a devilish smile. He guessed it was the first time in awhile since she had such a genuine reaction to anything.

"I hope you can keep up." Hayley rushed as she broke into a run. The decision caught Elijah completely off guard as he watched her run down the sidewalk. He could hear her laughter. She'd gotten the reaction she wanted. Elijah had a grin on his face as he ran after her at a normal human pace. He'd forgotten how fast she could run for a human. They were about to hit her street when he sped up his pace to quickly catch her.

Just as he reached Hayley, her foot slipped on a slick part of the pavement. Instantly, Elijah was at her side. Her back rested in his grip as he gently helped her regain her footing. Once her mind caught back up with reality, she laughed again. Her breathing was heavy and the spring weather was cold enough that she could see it every time she exhaled. "That felt good." She said between breaths. Then she turned to look at him. "How did you catch me?" Her tone sounded disappointed, he had taken a hit on her certainty. Elijah just gave her a crooked grin and shrugged his shoulders.

She let it go as they continued down her street toward her apartment building. Hayley didn't say anything for the rest of their walk in the pouring rain. There wasn't a space on her body that was soaking with water. The sound of the shower hitting hard cement made it difficult for Elijah to listen to her heartbeat. When they reached her apartment, she stopped to show they'd reached it.

Looking at the ground, Hayley put a piece of wet hair behind her ear. Elijah couldn't count how many times he'd caught her doing that, and every occasion it made him love her even more. "Well, it was nice meeting you…uh?" She realized then that they'd never told each other their names. But she swore they had.

"Elijah." He said shaking her hand.

"Hayley." She replied with a grin. Elijah was too caught up in the moment to notice it was the smile only she gave him. Although her mind told her she didn't know the man standing in front of her, everything about her reacted how it used to.

Hayley nodded, not wanting to let go of his hand. Finally breaking the contact, she turned to her door. She only made it a few paces before turning back and walking forcefully back to Elijah, who still stood where she'd left him.

"What did you mean when you said you were waiting for me to remember?" The volume of her voice raised somewhat to be heard above the rain.

Elijah's face was serious. He hadn't realized she'd caught the comment. He shook is head after a moment. "I didn't mean anything by it." It was so hard for him to lie to her, forcing him to look down instead of up at her.

Hayley pinched the bridge of her nose as her eyes closed. She was frustrated about something that he couldn't understand. "It's just…I feel like I know you. There's this familiarity with you that I don't understand…and that comment you made…it just. I don't know what I'm saying! I'm sorry. I'm being crazy." Hayley shook her head at herself in irritation. Just as she was about to leave again, Elijah grabbed her hand. Not even the rain could stop him from hearing the jump in her heart. She glanced down at it questioningly, but didn't take her hand back.

Elijah moved so close to her that their bodies were practically touching. Hayley look scared and confused; not at what was happening, but how it all felt too familiar. Everything about him was welcoming, she felt…at home. He looked at her, contemplating if he should stop what he was about to do. The rain on her face made it look like she was crying; images of her the night he compelled her engulfed his vision. Everything about that night had become a regret.

Before he let his mind over think it, his lips rushed onto Hayley's. Her body froze under the contact. She wasn't one to kiss random men she'd met in the park. But something in the corner of her mind, deeply hidden, told Hayley that he wasn't a stranger. Elijah sadly pulled away and locked his gaze.

"Remember me, Hayley. Remember everything about us."

Her eyes slammed shut and her hands flew to both temples. She backed away, trying to get space away from him.

After what felt like minutes to Elijah, Hayley's eyes gently opened. She looked around confused at what had just happened. But then her body sensed him, standing only a foot or two away.

"Elijah." Hayley whispered.

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><p><strong>I promise...still NOT the end. LOL. I would love-love-love to hear your thoughts. REVIEW PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE!<strong>


	28. Chapter 28

**Ok so there were some technical difficulties. I'm trying to reload this chapter. And now it's saying that chapter 27 isn't even up. I'm so confused. Hopefully this works. Thanks CharmedGirl92 for pointing out the problem to me.**

**Music**

**Still Alright - Adam Merrin **(hayley waking up)

**Unlike Me (A'cappella Version) - Kate Havnevik **(talking)

**Jen Says Good-Bye - Theodore Shapiro **(hayley sleeping)

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><p>Hayley shot up in her bed. How did she get here? Was everything that just happened only a dream? Her palm moved to her forehead, she had the most excruciating migraine of her life. The soaking wet clothes were still on her body. Looking around, she saw a letter sitting on her nightstand with her name neatly written across it. She tore the paper open and her eyes raced across the writing.<p>

_Hayley,_

_I do not expect to receive forgiveness for what I did to you. I don't deserve it. My actions will never be truly justified. But I wish for you to know that everything I did was to protect you. I never stopped loving you after I left, and I never will. If you never desire to see my again, I will appreciate your wishes. But if her heart somehow finds a way to forgive me for the pain I caused, I will be waiting, for I will always wait for you._

_Love, Elijah_

She read the letter over and over again, trying to comprehend it. Everything was falling into place. Her confusion was gradually drifting away and her brain was putting together the pieces that were missing all this time. Her gaze wandered out the window. It was still pouring outside. How long had she been sleeping? Glancing at the clock, she read 5 o'clock in the afternoon. She rushed out of bed, which was a horrible decision, her migraine turned into a pounding pulse in her head. Hayley threw on her coat and shoes, rushing out of her bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Her roommate asked flustered at her bolting toward the front door.

"Uh…I'm going to my sister's place." She stammered.

Once outside, Hayley realized she'd completely forgot to bring an umbrella. But she didn't bother going back inside to grab one. She was already wet, what did it matter? Her walking pace immediately fell in.

Elijah stood by the wall of windows at his apartment, watching the rain continue to fall fast toward the city streets. He didn't know if what he was doing should be considered waiting or hoping. He'd given Hayley a choice. If she never wanted to see him again, he'd understand. But Elijah also understood if she came back to him, he couldn't expect everything to go back to normal. All was different.

He heard the elevator ding. The door was unlocked; he knew she would walk in on her own. Hayley walked in to the living the room and stopped, not wanting to walk any closer to him. Elijah finally turned to face her. She was drenched with rain once again. But all he noticed was her expression. There was hope covered in betrayal and disappointment. He would do anything to never see her look at him that way again. Her hands were lifelessly at her side and her wet bangs hid one side of her face. She just stood and stared at him, not knowing where to start.

"How long has it been?" She asked. Hayley's voice was sturdy; she couldn't break down, not yet. Her perception of time was still groggy and it was hard for to decipher when she last saw him.

"Over two years." Elijah said reluctantly.

"I…I don't even know what to say. How could you? Elijah, you ruined everything." Now her voice was shaking; her strength was deteriorating with every word she said. "I want to hate you, so badly. I want to yell and tell you that everything we had is damaged. But I can't…because I love you. And it's the reason that leaving destroyed me so much. You honestly believe that everything you did protected and saved me. But you need to finally realize that I will never be better than when you're with me. No matter what, I need you and you need me. We need each other. And it scares me the hell out of me, needing someone else so seriously."

Silent tears slid down her face. Elijah moved across the room at vampire speed. She stepped back, away from him. The movement broke his heart more than she'll ever understand. She wouldn't even let him touch her.

"You can't ever do that to again. From now on, no more secrets, no more lies. I don't care if you think you're saving my life. No matter what happens, we face it together. You can't keep fighting everything alone." She looked up at Elijah who only nodded his head. His face was so torn that she thought he might start crying.

"Say something, Elijah." Hayley almost yelled.

"I'm so sorry, Hayley." He whispered. He raised his hand to hold her hand, touch her face, but put it back down, knowing it would only make things worse.

The space between their bodies said more to Elijah than she ever possibly could. Turning away from him, she wiped her tears away with the back of her fist. It was always embarrassing to her when some saw her cry, since it was so uncommon. Finally looking back at Elijah. She cleared her throat. "You cut your hair." She stated.

He couldn't help but smile at her comment. "As did you." He countered. She looked up as if that would allow her to view her hair. Her lips automatically went into a smirk. "Yeah. Do you hate it?" She asked.

"Quite the opposite, actually." Elijah answered. He wanted to run his hands through it, but knew better.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "What happened to you?" She asked.

Elijah inhaled deeply and motioned toward the couch. Hayley moved unreasonably far to the side as she walked past him, making sure not to have any contact. She sat as far on the edge of the couch as humanly possible. His jaw clenched as he noticed what she was doing.

For the rest of the night, Elijah told Hayley absolutely everything that happened over their time apart. Before he compelled her, he would have left out the parts of being daggered multiple times. But he honored her wishes: no lies, no secrets. Her eyes never left his as he explained story after story. She nodded her head occasionally. As he went into detail about the Salvatore brothers and Elena, the new doppelgänger, he felt her breathing catch and her pulse speed up. But Hayley neither asked nor said anything about her. After a couple hours of telling her absolutely anything significant that happened, Hayley knew everything about Mystic Falls. She knew of all Elena and all her friends, that his family was actually alive, and now their mother wished to kill all of her children.

"After all this time, Klaus kept them at his side. How could your mother want to kill her own children?" Hayley thought aloud.

"Because we are monsters. My siblings are nothing like me, Hayley, they're worse. They view humans as worthless objects for their own entertainment. My brothers and sister place no value on human life."

She quickly shook her head. "That's not you, Elijah."

"Stop trying to rid me of my guilt, Hayley." He said firmly.

"You're allowed to feel guilty about things, but that's not one of them." She shot back. He wasn't allowed to use her anger toward him to ignite self-hatred.

They talked for, what seemed like hours, about Elijah's time in Mystic Falls. It was now late into the night and Hayley had slowly fallen asleep on the couch. He could tell she'd been fighting it for a while. Carefully, he picked her up in his arms and was about to put her in one of his many guest rooms but changed his mind, laying her in his own bed instead. After taking off her jacket and shoes, he walked back to the kitchen and living room. Elijah didn't feel like sleeping tonight.

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><p><strong>Alright, so I know a lot of you wantedexpected Hayley to be pissed at Elijah. But I mean, what else can she do? Elijah already hates himself for what he did. I felt like the way she reacted was genuine to her character. **

**Review and tell me your thoughts :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**Ok. I apologize for how long it took me to put this up. I've been up for almost 24 hours now. I had class all day and drove home for the weekend. Frankly, I don't understand how I'm even able to form coherent sentences right now. I'm sorry the chapter is a short one. But it was necessary. Good night friends. I am dead.**

**Music**

**June Eyes - Winterpills **(waking up)

**Easy - Justin Vernon**

**Embrace - Ben Sollee **(Elijah's phone call)

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><p>The next morning was full of fog. The rain and change in temperature caused a thick haze to spread over the city. Hayley woke up to see only white outside the windows of Elijah's bedroom. She'd actually slept last night. It'd been so long. She tried to deny that she knew the reason why. At first, she didn't question waking up in his bed. But a slow awareness hit, knowing Elijah must have moved her here. The other side of the bed was untouched. She sighed, hating herself for wishing she'd woken up with him next to her. The longing wasn't acceptable.<p>

Everything was so off about them now. He wanted it to go back to normal but Hayley didn't want to give in so easily. She loved him and she knew it. That would never change. But she couldn't completely forgive him yet. It would take time.

Finally finding the motivation to get out of bed, she decided to face Elijah. Hayley made her way to the kitchen, which was empty, to see if she could find any food. But all the cabinets were bare and the fridge had nothing inside. It wasn't surprising; she'd guessed Elijah hadn't been here in years, probably not since he'd compelled her. Compelled. Hayley was still trying to believe it happened. She turned away from the fridge to see Elijah standing a foot away from her.

"Oh fuck! Elijah! I hate it when you do that!" She yelled as her hand covered her eyes, trying to make sure she hadn't died of a heart attack.

"I'm sorry. I forgot how hard it is for you to sense my presence." He said.

Hayley's glare was interfered by her phone buzzing. But someone wasn't calling her; it was an alarm. Her face reddened. It was an alarm that went off to remind her to take the medication forced upon her. As she tried to silence it as soon as possible, her hand trembled. The last thing she wanted to tell Elijah was that she'd been diagnosed with severe depression.

Elijah gave her a suspicious look. "What was that?" He questioned. She only shrugged her shoulders as a response.

"Medication?" He guessed. Hayley's body restricted.

"How did you know?" She said, ashamed and angry at the same time. It was a ridiculous idea to think she could hide it from him. He would have found out somehow, he always did.

"I talked to Dr. Arch." Elijah said.

Hayley crossed her arms and looked at the ground. It was impossible to make eye contact; she couldn't. Elijah stood there, waiting. He didn't know what to say to her. It was apparent to Hayley now; everything that happened to her was because of the way he left her. But she was still embarrassed by her mental and physical reaction to it. Before meeting Elijah, she was independent. Her mind maintained its health by keeping the emotions and feelings locked tight. He changed all of that. And there was no going back after.

She was about to leave the room when he stopped her. "Hayley, we must discuss it eventually." He didn't want to push her, but it was necessary. She would avoid it forever if he didn't make her stop and talk about it.

"I don't want to talk about it, Elijah. I don't want to talk about how my body breaks down when you aren't with me. Or how I used to be this strong person, who could withstand anything, before I met you. I used to say that you're my weakness…but I was never prepared for anything like this. I'm ashamed. And I look at you, and you're fine. You survived it…I didn't." Hayley's bottom lip trembled and her eyes had a layer of tears as she spoke. But she refused to let herself cry again. It would only prove her point further. Feeling helpless was the last thing she wanted in life and crying would make it worse. She was envious of Elijah's ability to be stronger than her, she wasn't used to it.

Elijah stood patiently, now fully understanding why it was so hard for her to forgive him. She thought that leaving her was easy for him. She believed he moved on with life and had no feelings of remorse. He sometimes forgot how well he hid his emotions. Although vampires were said to have the ability to turn off emotions, Elijah refused to allow it after leaving Hayley. He made himself feel the longing, the guilt, the suffering.

He didn't care anymore. Elijah pulled her into his arms, expecting her to push him away. But Hayley held onto him closely. The feeling of her body relaxing against his was a bliss he would never be able to describe. He'd missed it dearly. She breathed him in. He smelled the same. He felt the same. But was he actually the same person like she thought?

"You're wrong." Elijah said softly to her as he still protectively held her in his arms. "I barely survived. It made me weaker than you'll ever understand. I became the monster that I was before you. Hayley, you aren't weak. You're just human." He could feel her nodding against his chest. She understood now. Elijah was able to hide everything because he was a vampire. And he never wanted her to feel like she didn't have the same strength and independence that he fell in love with.

Finally, Hayley let go of him, but didn't allow any space to come between them. Elijah looked down at her. "I missed you." She whispered to him. "Every moment of every day." He finished.

"I need to shower and get out of these clothes." Hayley said, slowly backing away from him. She felt like he would argue, but Elijah just nodded. Hayley was in the shower for a while when Elijah heard his phone that he'd left in his bedroom. The only people who had his number were his siblings. In a second, the phone was in his hands. Hayley came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, mistaking the ringing for her own phone. She immediately noticed Elijah's face and listened to the conversation with concern.

"Elijah." He heard his sister's voice on the other end. There was a moment's hesitation before Rebekah continued. "Finn is dead."

"How is that even possible?" Elijah questioned. Ester had linked them. If Finn was truly dead, than they should all be.

"Nik made that witch friend of Elena's break the link. We are separated now."

"But we burned the white oak tree. It does not exist and neither does a weapon capable of killing any of us." Elijah's tone couldn't help but sound aggravated. None of this made any sense.

"Another grew; it was used to rebuild Wickery Bridge. But I burnt it as soon as I found out. There was a sign that Damon knew about and I did not. They were able to make 11 stakes out of it. Stefan killed Finn just after we broke the curse."

"There's something else." Elijah could hear it in Rebekah's voice.

"Alaric…something is wrong with him. He has the last one."

Elijah understood. He couldn't find the words to say to his little sister.

"You're with her aren't you?" Rebekah asked almost sadly. He couldn't bring himself to reply to the question. He looked up at Hayley who hadn't broken her worried stare throughout the entire phone call.

"I thought I should tell you." Those were the last words Elijah's sister said before she hung up the phone. He stared out into space, not knowing what to think. There was one more stake there, capable of killing another one of his younger siblings. Yes, Finn had wanted a death wish ever since being awoken. But that didn't make it any less agonizing for the rest of his family.

"Is everything alright?" Hayley asked softly. Clearly from the way he looked, everything was not all right. She was still in her towel, leaning against the doorframe into the bathroom. Elijah finally stared at her, slowly walking towards her.

"They killed Finn." He said with no emotion. Her heart immediately started racing. She didn't need it to be explained to her; it quickly made sense. The original family was no longer linked, but someone had found a weapon to kill them.

Moving quickly toward him, Hayley grabbed Elijah. He welcomed the gesture, placing his hand behind her head. Her hair smelled like his shampoo. The scent combined with the feel of her skin messed with his senses.

"I'm so sorry, Elijah." She sighed to him. Hayley was truly apologetic about his loss. But as soon as she said it, her mind could only think of one thing. Elijah could die. Not just temporarily, but actually die. There was one weapon that could kill him. He could never come back to her again.

She could sense that he felt the responsibility to go back to his family. He'd made it clear that other than her, his family was the only other thing he truly cared about. But if he went back to Mystic Falls, Elijah would be in far greater danger. Hayley stepped away to look him in the eyes.

"I know you won't say it." She paused. "You need to go back."

He only nodded. Not that she needed any confirmation. He had a connection to his family that couldn't be broken, no matter what happened. Even after all the terrible things they caused him to do, he still felt responsible for their safety.

"I'm coming with you." Hayley declared. Elijah instantly started shaking his head and his mouth opened to protest, but she cut him off. "Do I need to explain it again? I'm going with you. I don't care what you have to say. Screw the danger. We stick together; remember? We're going to Mystic Falls."

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><p><strong>Review so when I'm no longer a zombie...i will like you. I am being weird. good night.<strong>


	30. Chapter 30

**I would like to apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. As I explained earlier, I'm home for the weekend. So I've been spending time with family and friends. Also, I know this chapter is a shorter one. But that's how it needed to be lol. And get excited for some more character to show up in future chapter! I'm pretty stoked!**

**Music**

**Your Ghost - Greg Laswell**

**Fade Into You - Mazzy Star**

**Circuital - My Morning Jacket**

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><p>After forcing himself to allow the idea of Hayley accompanying him back to Mystic Falls, Elijah began to make travel arrangements. Hayley had gone back to her apartment to pack some of her things and come up with a reasonable lie to tell her roommate for her indeterminate absence. She was leaving her home, college, and her family, all for him. And it only made Elijah feel guilty. Already, he was taking Hayley away from her human life and tossing her into one filled with vampires, werewolves, and witches.<p>

"Do you really think I'd prefer the life of a pre-law student?" Hayley had defended when Elijah brought the concern up. She made her point and he decided he wouldn't bring it up again.

Elijah drove from her apartment on to the airport. When they finally arrived, Hayley quietly followed Elijah. She was about to ask where exactly they were going when she noticed they walked right past check in and security. But when they walked through doors that lead outside, it stopped any questions from being asked. She paused for a moment, causing Elijah to stop and question her.

"Are you serious right now? A private jet!" Hayley threw her hands up in the air at the absurdity. Elijah knew that he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself from smirking at her reaction. Even in such an unusual situation, she never failed to amuse him. She always hated the outlandishness that money could bring. It made her uncomfortable. He guessed it was because her parents threw money at her, thinking it would solve all the problems they had. As a response, Hayley valued things that money could never touch.

Elijah walked over and grabbed her hand, dragging her toward the jet. "Come on, we're going to be late." He stated.

"Oh, really? The private plane is going to leave without the private passengers?" She answered sarcastically. When they were right at the stairs of the jet, she started laughing. Looking up at him she explained. "I'm sorry, I don't think I'm mature enough to handle this." Elijah shook his head at her as he pointed for her to go inside. She sighed and followed his instructions.

The seats were crème leather and the walls had shiny paneling. But the seats weren't really seats, more like couches. Hayley carefully sat down like she was afraid she would ruin anything she touched. Elijah went towards the pilot's bunker and was back in a second. He sat down next to her, watching her reaction.

Hayley sighed. "So how long of a flight?"

"Approximately an hour."

"What's it like? Mystic falls I mean." Hayley asked as she laid her head on his shoulder. In reaction he wrapped his arm around her. Mentally, she needed to be prepared. By asking for a description or characterization, Elijah knew she was also asking what to expect, who to trust, and who was dangerous. He told her anything he felt was significant to keep her safe: what people were harmless and who was not to be made upset. She nodded her head; taking everything he was telling her seriously. When he was finished, Hayley was silent for a moment, thinking how to word what she was about to say.

"I think you should show me how to kill a vampire." She said quickly.

"Excuse me?" Elijah sounded taken aback.

"Show me how to kill a vampire. You're not always going to be there to protect me, Elijah. I refuse to be the damsel in distress. I need to know how to defend myself. You have to show me."

"I will do nothing of the sort." He shook his head.

"I knew you'd say that." Hayley sighed and leaned back into his arm. It was pointless to even bother asking. Maybe she'd be able to convince him further once they were in Mystic Falls and when he understood where she was coming from.

The image of her fighting a vampire off was all Elijah was capable of thinking about. He realized that Hayley would soon see the side of him that she usually turned off. The part of him that shined when he was with her was a mystery to everyone else. Elijah couldn't help but feel like he was throwing her to the dogs. There was one stake left to kill an original. Hayley could easily be used as bait to distract or lure Elijah. He didn't fear for his own life, only hers. If anyone threatened her, she would truly see Elijah as the monster she refused to believe existed.

"What are your siblings like?" Hayley asked softly, changing to what she believed was a lighter topic.

He sighed. Where to begin with explaining the complexity of the original family of vampires? With Finn, there was not much left to tell her than he already had. He had constantly secluded himself from the rest, always hating what they had become. But the others, had personality differences just like any other family. Hayley looked up at him. She could tell he was thinking about where to start.

"Well, there's Kol, the youngest of my brothers. He's more like Klaus than he cares to admit. One moment he's charming and the next he's cunning. I almost see him as a child who constantly needs to be watched or he will do something thoughtless…like kill someone." Elijah paused and watched her reaction at the last part. But Hayley remained calm and waited for him to continue.

"My sister, Rebekah, worries about our family more than she will ever acknowledge. She expects endless volumes of love and attention, and then becomes distraught when it's not given to her. Her and Klaus are closer for reasons I have wondered about my entire existence. They have a certain bond I will never understand." He was quiet, lost in his mind,wondering about it.

"And Klaus? You have never told me anything about him except for all the horrible things he has done. I've only heard of him as your enemy, not as your brother." Hayley said curiously.

"Isn't that enough for judging one's personality?" He contradicted.

"No. People are never that simple." There it was again: one of her comments that always surprised Elijah. It was what made him fall in love with her in the first place. She would always say comments that exceeded her age. But he always adored how casually she said them, completely oblivious to her cleverness.

"I believe it's best that you stay away from Klaus as much as possible." Elijah said sternly as he looked her in the eye. He worried about it the closer they got to Mystic Falls. Although Klaus was no longer his foe, that didn't change his hybrid brothers compulsiveness. But if Elijah displeased him in any way, he knew Klaus would immediately go for Hayley. Before her, he never had any disadvantage.

"Elijah, we're staying in his house. How exactly am I supposed to stay away from him? I think you're setting me up for failure with the whole avoidance plan. I want to meet your brothers and sister, and I feel like you want to keep me a secret." Hayley knew not to take it personally. He wasn't ashamed of her and she knew that. But family told a lot of one's character and why they came to be that way. She couldn't help but be curious as to how they would be. But she was even more curious of how they would perceive her. She assumed the fact she was human and not a vampire would probably already put her in a bad standing.

"I have something for you." Elijah caused her to lose track of her thoughts. She looked up at him, confused at the idea of a gift. His hand went into his jacket pocket, returning with a rectangular velvet box. Hayley took it with a perplexed look. He never bought her jewelry; it wasn't for her. She never told him, but as usual, he figured it out somehow.

She slowly opened the case to find a necklace inside. It was a silver medallion with a black sapphire in the middle of intricate silver detailing. There was no way this was less than a few hundred years old. Hayley could only stare at it, not able to find the words for how beautiful it was.

"Do you like it?" Elijah asked.

"It's beautiful. I can't wear this. It's too lovely." She argued as she slammed the box shut. Elijah took it from her and grabbed the necklace out of the case.

"Don't be absurd, Hayley." He placed it around her neck, fastening the clasp.

"Elijah, how old is this?" Her hand carefully felt the cold medallion that lay just below her throat. She never had nice jewelry, or accessories in general. They always managed to get broken or lost.

"I acquired it in Spain during the early 1800s." He smiled as Hayley's mouth slightly opened with astonishment. His smile faded as he continued. "There's another reason I want you to have this. It's laced with vervain."

Her brows creased at the name. "What's vervain?"

"It's a flower that prevents vampires from compelling you. It can also injure us like the nature of poison or acid." Elijah explained.

"Will it hurt you if I wear it?" Hayley asked worried.

"No, the concentration is too low to physically harm me. But no one will be able to compel you. I hope you will wear it."

She looked at him for a moment, thinking about something he couldn't tell. He didn't know that she was secretly thinking she wished to have known about this when she first met him. How different would things be if she had vervain when he compelled her two years ago?

"Of course I'll wear it." Hayley finally replied as if it was obvious. If Elijah wouldn't teach her how to defend herself, at least her mind would be safe.

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><p><strong>Review because it makes me happy. LOL. Please. <strong>


	31. Chapter 31

**I was so excited about this chapter...that I stayed up until 6 am to write it. Happy easter? LOL. No. **

**Music**

**Victory Dance - My Morning Jacket **(bar)

**Satellite - The Kills **(bar)

**U.R.A. Fever - The Kills **(bar)

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><p>Hayley immediately sat up straight as Elijah turned the car onto a private driveway. The whole drive she found absolutely beautiful. Being raised in Illinois made her overwhelmed with Virginia's hills compared to the flatness of the Midwest. Even though she was a city girl at heart, she always treasured a break from the concrete and skyscrapers.<p>

The property must have been very big because they were driving along a private road for a few minutes. Finally, there was a breakage in the forest of trees that surrounded the drive. Hayley's jaw dropped. To call Klaus' place a house would be an understatement. It was a mansion. A white manor that clearly had a great architectural value. A fountain sat in the middle of the circular drive-up to the front door. The entire estate was surrounded with every type of shrub and flower.

"Klaus makes you look modest." Hayley said as she continued to stare.

Elijah sighed, already knowing his brothers need for extravagance. "Yes, as you can see, my brother doesn't believe in the expression 'Less is more'." They parked the car. Hayley opened the trunk to grab her bags but Elijah beat her too it. She shook her head, but he didn't notice. He already brought everything inside and was back at her side before she could call his name.

He had a look of relief as he brought her inside. "Fortunately, the house is unoccupied at the moment." Elijah didn't bother giving her a tour. It wasn't his house. But living here would make it easier to stay on the same page as Klaus.

Elijah took Hayley to their room. The ceilings were fifteen feet tall and the floors covered in expensive wood. Everything looked and probably was very expensive. Hayley walked around the room still in awe of everything. She walked over to the windows and looked at the view. A forest surrounded entire mansion. It almost made her feel like she was back at home in her house in the suburbs. She turned to face Elijah who leaned against the entrance, watching her. Hayley's smile disappeared as she noticed he had something on his mind.

"You may have this room to yourself." Elijah said casually.

She looked confused about what he was saying. Then she put it together; he thought she was still so upset with him that she didn't want to even stay in the same bedroom as him. Hayley looked down, her fingers playing with the curtain next to her. Was it okay for her to allow him to assume that?

After a few moments filled with silence, she made her way to Elijah. Her fingers went to the knot of his tie. She always used to toy with it and the habit hadn't stopped. Hayley inhaled deeply before finally looking up at him.

"You don't have to sleep in another room, Elijah." She murmured quietly.

He didn't say anything, only nodded. Even with her hair cut short, it still fell across her face. He moved it behind her ear. The gesture felt too familiar to Hayley. She noticed the way he was looking at her and swiftly took a step away from him.

Elijah cleared his throat. "I have to leave to for a little while. Will you be okay on your own?" He asked her, trying to act like he didn't notice her stepping away from him. She knew he was about to kiss her, and she wouldn't allow it.

"Yes, I'll be fine." She replied.

"It's probably best that you stay here." Elijah recommended. He knew that if he told her in more of a demand it would only make her want to disobey him. Hayley's stubbornness tended to do that.

She sighed at his request. "Fine." Elijah nodded before disappearing.

Suddenly the mansion felt so much bigger. Hayley thought she'd be able to hear a needle drop it was so quiet. She decided to go exploring around this huge mansion since Elijah said no one else was there. Every room was luxuriously decorated. Every time she thought it ended, she would find another hallway with rooms branching off on both sides. Once she decided her mind had seen enough lavishness, she told herself to only go into one more and call it quits. But the last room wasn't what she expected.

Hayley's eyes widened as she took it all in. There were canvases, tapestries, and drawings scattered absolutely everywhere. Whoever's work it was clearly had a gift. She immediately became curious about who it belonged to. It obviously wasn't Elijah's, maybe Rebekah's? After staring at everything for what felt like almost an hour, she became mad at herself for not bringing any of her art supplies. Hayley had only brought the camera Elijah bought her. During all that time of not remembering him, she'd convinced herself that her parents had bought it.

The house made her feel lonesome and bored. There was little to do in a house that wasn't yours when the owner was nowhere to be found. Hayley rapidly started to think that this was how it would always be during their stay. Elijah would be doing something dangerous, while she sat in the safety of a mansion. Sitting around and waiting for him to return was not a strategy she accepted. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

Hayley left the art room and walked to the front of the mansion. She saw that Elijah hadn't taken the truck they'd arrived in. It was probably easier for him to get around with his vampire speed than cars now that they weren't in a busy area such as Chicago. She'd seen him leave the keys in the car. Hayley started getting ideas that she knew Elijah would not be happy about.

For once in her life, Hayley thought with her gut instead of her brain. Some would call it stupid, she called it being herself. Elijah told her not to leave without actually telling her. But that sick part of her mind told her to do it just because he'd specifically asked her not to. With her purse around her shoulder, she hastily marched to the car, swinging into the driver's seat.

It wasn't hard to find civilization away from the private property of the mansion. Hayley figured she'd follow the direction of where most cars were headed and ended up in a downtown area. The sun had already gone down and nightlife was beginning. As she passed what looked like a restaurant and bar filled with people and cars, she decided it was a safe choice for entertainment. The more she thought about it, the idea of a bar sounded like a good idea. Not only was she disobeying Elijah but also she was worrying about his safety. Before, the fact that there was no true weapon to kill an original was always a reassurance. But now, everything was different. Everything was a risk. It was life or death. And the death part made Hayley want a strong drink of some sort.

Parking the car, she looked up at the sign of the restaurant to read the words Mystic Grill. _How original and catchy_, she thought cynically. Inside, it was packed with teenagers not much younger than herself and others that were her age if not a little bit older. Noticing how much she would stick out in a small town, she made a b-line for the bar. She chose to grab the empty side of the bar. Realizing that her demeanor and outfit already made her stick out, she tried to stay away from the crowd as much as possible. Hayley wore dark wash jeans tucked into thigh high black-leathered boots. The heels made her 5'11 frame even taller; it didn't exactly help on the whole low profile plan. She wore a maroon colored oversized sweater underneath her military jacket. And, of course, Elijah's necklace lay across her neck. Everything about her screamed city girl, and not a Mystic Falls local.

She sat on the stool. Getting the bartender's attention was unnecessary, he had been eyeing her the second she walked in. As usual, she was oblivious to the reactions the opposite gender gave her. Her thoughts were on more important things, such as getting drunk enough to not think about anything.

"Vodka Cranberry." Hayley first requested but before she shook her head. "You know what, no. I'll have a whiskey. I don't care what it is." The bartender raised his eyebrows, not expecting her choice. As she watched him pour, she felt someone fill the seat to her left.

"Someone's trying to deal with their issues." The stranger said. She could sense the voice was laced with practiced charm. Not like Elijah's old-fashioned charm that he couldn't get rid of if he tried. This kind was suspiciously charming. They were Hayley's favorites to deal with. Her sarcasm and quick-witted humor never failed to overwhelm and scare the overconfident charmers.

"Yes. And like every other alcoholic, I enjoy doing it alone. So if you don't mind…" Hayley didn't miss a beat. Her reply was out of her mouth barely a second after he had finished. She didn't even bother looking over to see what he looked like. The bartender overheard her comment and whistled with a smile at its harshness.

"Well, you see, I'm aware that your little comment was meant to scare me away. But your firecracker response only makes me more interested."

Hayley tried the scare tactic. Slamming down her glass, she turned to look at him. "However this scenario panned out in your mind, I assure you, it's never going to happen. I think I made myself pretty clear. Fuck off." She snapped. After saying her words, she finally took in his appearance. He looked a few years older than her. His hair was black as a raven, with icy blue eyes. Hayley couldn't deny it; eyes like his were hard to come by. He had bad boy and trouble written all over him.

"No, you just made my night a whole lot more entertaining. I'm Damon. Why don't you let me buy another whiskey?" His eyes did this weird seduction move. But all it did was make Hayley laugh. Not a giggle, but a genuine laugh at how ridiculous she found him.

"I'm sorry, is there something in your eye?" Hayley snorted. For the first time in the conversation, Damon seemed to be surprised by her response. And as a result, his surprise stunned Hayley. With that last comment, she wasn't even trying. It was an actual reaction to how hard he was trying to play her.

"You're not from around here are you?" He asked trying not to act like his ego took a hit. He comprehended his usual tricks weren't going to work on her.

"What gave me away?" Hayley asked without looking at him.

"You're too attractive. I know all the good-looking girls in town, and I've never seen you." He was doing his weird eye thing again.

"I'm honestly curious on your success rate after using such an awful line…what did you say your name was again? Damien? Like _The Omen_…I can see it now. The whole devil child, it suits you." She smiled as she took another sip of her drink. Damon shook his head, rolling his eyes as he too took another swig.

"It's Damon. Damon Salvatore." He held out his hand, trying to use some of his different charm. She was now a challenge to him.

As Hayley grabbed his head, the name finally clicked. Elijah told her everything about him. He was on the list of people not to upset. Her heart immediately lurched in her chest. She then cursed herself, because she knew he would be able to hear it. It became clear that this whole idea was a horrible idea. Hayley tried hard to stay calm and firmly shake his hand without him sensing her fear. She needed to get out of here, and now.

"And yours?" Damon asked casually.

In her sudden panic, she wasn't able to think of a fake. "Hayley." She replied through a dry throat. Begging herself to keep her heartbeat normal, she slowly got up to throw money on the bar. "As much of a joy it has been, you hitting on me, I'm afraid it has also completely ruined my motivation to drink. Thank you, truly, for curing my alcoholism." She gave him a bitter smile and was met with his eyes narrowing at her. Grabbing her purse, she walked toward the first exit she saw. Walking by a table with fresh silverware prepared, Hayley slyly grabbed a knife. She gripped it in her hand, concealed by her oversized purse.

She went out into the night to see the exit she chose went right into an alley. _Fucking great,_ she whined in her head. Turning to look back inside the grill, before the door closed, she saw Damon had moved on, away from the bar.

Exhaling, Hayley turned around but jumped when she was facing Damon Salvatore. Before she could even scream to grab someone's attention, he slammed her against the wall of the alley. She cringed as her head slammed against it.

"What exactly are you doing in Mystic Falls?" Damon asked with an edge.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hayley spoke calmly.

His stare tightened again. "Your heart beat threw you away. You recognized my name. I could tell." Suddenly, his expression changed. Something had dawned on him. "Hayley." He said quietly. "…Your Elijah's girl aren't you?"

Hayley's jaw clenched and she took his short moment of concentration on his thoughts to do something stupid. Whipping her hand from her purse, she stabbed the knife into his side. There was no way it would kill him. It was nowhere near his heart and it wasn't a wooden stake. It barely fazed Damon. If anything, it only made him madder. He slammed her harder into the wall; his hands had a deadly grip on both of her shoulders.

But before he could threaten or harm her anymore, he was thrown off her. His body slammed against a dumpster in the corner of the alley. Hayley immediately thought her savior would be Elijah. But she was shocked to see a blonde man standing only a few feet away. He was staring at Damon, who was struggling to get up. She'd never seen him before. What incentive would he have to save her?

"Didn't anyone ever teach you how to treat a lady?" The blonde said, with a British accent, as he sauntered toward Damon. Hayley breathed heavily as she tried to understand what was happening. That was when she noticed a third person in the alleyway: a taller brunette with messy hair, who leaned against the wall and seemed very amused with the entire situation. Hayley was shocked at how much he resembled Elijah. He looked like a younger version of him.

Her attention was averted though when she looked back at Damon. The blonde man now had him hanging from a grip around his throat. Obviously he was also a vampire and stronger.

"Why don't you go attack ladies in another alley? Honestly, I don't understand why I keep allowing you to live." His charm and casualness of the situation seemed more disturbing than comforting.

"I can't wait to drive that stake through your heart, Klaus." Damon managed to smile through the clasp on his throat. When she heard the name, everything clicked. Hayley looked at the one against the wall back to Klaus. These were Elijah's siblings. She jumped when Klaus threw Damon to the ground as if he was a rag doll. Damon didn't break eye contact with Hayley as he unhurriedly exited the alley.

Now Kol watched her carefully, with a devilish smirk. Klaus leisurely wandered closer to her. "Plan on using that more, love?" Klaus asked, gesturing toward the knife. Hayley looked down to see that she was still tightly holding onto the knife, which was currently covered in Damon's blood. She dropped it now, seeing it would do her no good whatever their intentions were.

"So you're the girl my brother's been obsessing about." Kol said at his spot on the wall. It wasn't a question. Hayley didn't say anything as she stood with blood on her hands and now noticed it was on her shirt too.

"Kol." Klaus only said his little brother's name, but she could tell there were further instructions in it than she was able to understand. Klaus left the alley, not giving her another glance. But Kol was at her side in a flash, causing her to jump slightly. He smiled as he grabbed the car keys out of her purse.

"Hey!" She said aggravated. But Kol motioned his head toward the parking lot. "I'll drive. I just learned this week." Hayley relaxed. They didn't mean her any harm, at least not yet.

"Good. If the vampire doesn't kill me, another one's lack of seasoned driving skills will do the job." She was surprised when her muttered comment caused a beaming smile from Kol.

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><p><strong>So I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY curious about your thoughts. <em>Like really badly<em>. So leave me a review. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.**


	32. Chapter 32

**I would like to thank everyone that reviewed the last chapter. I got ridiculous amount of feedback and it made my day. Thank you guys so much! I hope this chapter is equally liked. **

**Music**

**Wait Wait Wait - Hanni El Khatib **(Kol & Hayley)

**Scratch - Kendall Payne** (Klaus & Hayley)

**Drug A Wheel - Bears in Heaven** (Pissed Elijah lol)

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><p>As soon as they got into the car, Hayley was unaware of what to say. Obviously this entire scenario was unexpected. She didn't exactly know when she'd meet them. Their introduction was thrust upon them.<p>

"I'm Kol, by the way. Pleasure." He said. His wicked smirk never left his face.

Hayley sighed. "Yeah, I figured that out." Now she was thinking about how mad Elijah was going to be. She'd gone out of her way to disobey him, and of course, had her life threatened. It would only make his point more valid. She felt like a teenager waiting for the guaranteed lecture from her parents; something that had rarely occurred during her adolescence.

"I have to be quite honest, you are not at all what I was expecting." Kol's English accent made her smile. She found it so amusing that both Klaus and him had one but Elijah didn't. She supposed that he'd lost it over time.

"Sorry to disappoint." Hayley replied as she looked out the window.

"No, I didn't think you'd be such a piece of work. Nik and I were listening to you talk to Damon. I was thoroughly captivated. How did boring old Elijah snatch up a woman like you?" Kol looked over at her, honestly interested.

"I don't exactly know what you're asking…" Hayley laughed uncomfortably. She guessed from an outsider's perspective, Elijah and her didn't really make sense. But she then realized that they didn't act like their true selves unless they were alone. But to her, it was so simple: he made her happy and in return she made him good. Plus there were similarities that most people simply discounted.

They finally pulled into the driveway to Klaus' mansion. Hayley stared at the house, not wanting to get out of the car. Kol watched her carefully. He listened to her breathing and heartbeat, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"I'm guessing you weren't supposed to leave." Kol said casually.

Hayley exhaled dramatically. "Nope."

"Well, I think you're safe for awhile. He's not home."

Her head whipped around to look at Kol. "Do you think he's ok? He's been gone for awhile." She hated constantly being anxious about him. It drove her crazy. Kol grinned at how evidently worried she was. He didn't feel the need to reassure her. Hayley finally mustered the courage to get out of the car. Kol walked along side her toward the front door.

"By the way, nice driving. You managed to not kill any pedestrians or me. I wish I could say the same about my early driving experiences." She looked up at Kol with a grin. He chuckled at the joke. Her sarcasm fit into Kol's personality easily. He didn't take anything seriously, and on the surface, Hayley seemed that way too. It was hard to understand or agree with Elijah's negative description of his little brother. But clearly it was too soon to fully understand the complexity of Kol.

As soon as they walked inside, he disappeared out of sight. She didn't bother wondering where he was off to. But she was curious as to where Klaus moved to after he saved her life. A thought suddenly occurred to her. There was a possibility she was wrong, but her gut told her to investigate. Hayley tried to remember where the art room was in the house. As she walked nearer, she noticed there was light pouring out into the hallway from the entrance.

Hayley leaned against the doorframe, looking around. Suddenly, pictures of a girl that were scattered about became recognizable. Even though she was at the bar a short time, Hayley was always known for being very observant. She could watch people socialize around her and figure out their secrets, their stories. Most of the time, she got them correct. Elijah once told her that was why she was such a good artist; she saw things most couldn't. But Hayley just thought people got so wrapped up in themselves, they weren't good at stopping and just putting their attention into others. She'd seen the girl in the drawings at the Mystic Grill earlier. And now that she thought about it, Klaus had been watching her from a corner in the restaurant. She remembered the brief stories Elijah had mentioned about Klaus being smitten with one of Elena's friends, Caroline.

Klaus sat in a chair, his back to her, sketching in one of the many pads strewn about the room. She knew he could sense her watching him. How had she known this was his room and not Kol's or Rebekah's?

"You have a thing for that girl…the blonde one." She stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Klaus said without taking his eyes away from the drawing beneath his hands. Already, his tone made him seem like he was bored with the conversation.

"Give me a break. I saw you watching her the entire night at the grill. Anyone with a bit of sense would have caught it." Her arms were crossed as she listened to the silence when he gave her no response. She moved across the room to sit on the opposite side of the table he was drawing at.

"You don't deserve her." Hayley hoped her brazenness would force him to give a reaction. She only faintly meant what she said. Klaus' hand stopped moving across the paper. He still hadn't looked up at her.

"I know that." He said looking down.

"But that doesn't mean it will be that way forever. From what I heard, you killed people that she cared about and endangered the ones that you left alive. Did you honestly expect her to overlook all of that so easily?" Once again, Klaus didn't respond to her. He wasn't conscious that she was figuring him out more and more by the second. "She's worth changing yourself. I understand why you act the way you do." She paused before continuing. "You and me aren't so different. Elijah never told me how similar we are." She said it more to herself than to him. "I guess he just chose to keep it to himself."

Klaus smirked at her confidence, finding it entertaining how well she believed she knew him after meeting for the first time that evening.

"Is that so?" Klaus asked putting down his pencil and pad. He sat back in his chair and folded his hands properly on his lap. He was taken aback when Hayley's expression suddenly changed gloomy before she began talking again.

"We both got stuck with shitty parents. And as a result, we have trouble trusting other people or being our true selves around them. We just deal with it in different ways. They say you're evil but they don't ever question what made you that way. I get it. Although that doesn't justify everything you do. I get it and it sucks."

Klaus' jaw clenched. In that moment, he understood his older brothers love for this girl. She was intelligent beyond her years and she read him quicker than anyone ever had. But that didn't mean her wisdom and theories didn't bother him. He refused to give her the satisfaction of letting her know she was right; not that it was the reasoning for her words. Hayley didn't feel like interrupting him anymore. She sighed and got up from her seat. Before moving towards the door, she waited for him to look at her. But Klaus only stared at his drawing.

"Tonight, with Damon…you didn't have to do that. So…thanks." She quickly walked out of the room and jumped to see Elijah waiting outside. He had a serious look and his hands were in the pockets of his suit pants.

"Elijah!" Hayley gasped as she embraced him. Now every time he came back to her, it seemed like a blessing. The fact there was a weapon that could truly kill him and his family, made everything seem more significant. Elijah's arms seemed to hold onto her tighter, proving to her that he felt the same way.

His enhanced sense of smell gave him a surge of panic. There was blood on her shirt and hands. He grabbed Hayley by the shoulders to look her in the eyes. Elijah immediately noticed her wince at his grip on her shoulders. Gently, he moved the jacket off, showing the skin on her shoulders. There were bruises scattered across, almost in the shape of someone's thumb and fingers.

"Hayley, what happened?" He growled. Elijah couldn't help but sound angry with her. She only looked back wide eyed, opening her mouth to explain only to close it again. She was scared to tell him.

"I…um…went to the Mystic Grill. And I had a run in with Damon Salvatore." Elijah's jaw gritted and she saw his entire body tense. His personality caused him to take everything with such composure. But Hayley didn't understand that when it came to her, all of it was lost.

"Klaus and Kol stopped him, I presume." His was voice was so low as he snarled, Hayley almost didn't recognize it. She nodded, confirming his assumption. Earlier, she feared for the lecture he would give for defying him, but now she feared more for Damon than herself. As awful as he'd been toward her, Damon didn't deserve to die. People rarely earned an untimely death. Yes, he'd killed people; maybe he would've ended up killing her too. But so did every other vampire in this messed up town.

Hayley began to panic as she saw Elijah start walking toward the front door. She ran after him, cutting him off. "Elijah." He ignored her and walked around. But she wasn't giving up that easily.

"Elijah!" There was no response. Hayley placed her hands on either side of his face. "Elijah, look at me. You are not going to kill him. Stay here. Please, don't go." He barely glanced at her as he gently took her hands from his face. His expression was something Hayley was completely unfamiliar with. He didn't look like her Elijah; he looked like a deadly vampire. His brown eyes somehow seemed darker and his jaw line was tightened. Hayley begged him with her eyes not to do what he was thinking. But it was useless. He walked into the night without looking back.

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><p>Elena sat in the Salvatore living room. The fire, as usual, was stoking. They were discussing the vampire bloodlines that were a mystery. Revenge was still a priority, but it could not be achieved unless the original's history was sorted. Stefan stood by the fireplace, deep in thought, while Damon poured himself a drink. Even if they found Alaric's alter ego's hiding place, whom they planned on killing was unknown. It was all so complicated.<p>

When the front door flew open, Elena jumped out of her seat to stand. Whoever entered, came in so quickly her human eyes couldn't catch them. She looked around to see that Damon was pinned against a wall by Elijah. Stefan was caught between staying still and helping his brother. They didn't know what the he wanted. He paid no attention to the other Salvatore or the human in the room.

Elijah's hand was around Damon's throat, looking like it was no effort at all. Damon clawed at the grip, but it was useless. Even after killing Elijah half a dozen times, Damon had never seen him look angrier than right now. Stefan was about to do something, but Elijah immediately sensed it.

"Let's not try anything unwise, Stefan. This business is between me and your brother." Elena and Stefan both looked at one another confused. They had no clue what he had done to Hayley earlier in the night.

Elijah's grip on Damon's neck made it impossible to for him to breath. He moved in closer to the victim, his eyes staring deep within. "I was recently informed of your confrontation with Hayley. I want you to fully understand, the only reason your heart's not in my hand is because she asked me to spare your pathetic life. As you can grasp, she finds compassion that I cannot." He let go of Damon who dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, coughing violently. In a millisecond, Elijah had grabbed a dagger from the nearby table. In the same movement, he lifted up Damon and stabbed it into his stomach. Damon cried out in pain. Elijah was too livid to even hear Elena's gasp. Still jamming the dagger into him, Elijah put his mouth close to Damon's ear.

"If you harm her again, even touch her, I give you my word that I won't be as merciful." Leaving the dagger inserted, Elijah threw him to the ground. He turned to face Elena and Stefan. Of all the terrible things he'd done to Elena, he'd never seen her look at him with such fear and shock. Stefan clearly heard everything Elijah said to his brother, and knew he deserved it. He nodded his head at the original as he slowly walked out of the room, slamming the door.

Once they were sure he was gone, Elena rushed to Damon's side. Carefully, she pulled the dagger out of his stomach. "Oddly, that's the second time I was stabbed with a knife tonight." Damon groaned as the pain started easing.

"Do you want to tell us what that was all about?" Elena asked as she knelt on her knees at his side. Stefan casually stood close, waiting to hear what his brother had to say. Damon sat up, propped on his forearms. Nothing in his expression said he had just been stabbed a moment ago.

"I may have attacked Elijah's girl at the grill earlier."

"Damon! What is wrong with you?" Elena yelled.

"She was suspicious and I investigated. She's fine…thanks to her boyfriend's vampire brothers." He waved his hand to belittle the seriousness. "Honestly, if she hadn't tried to stab me, I think I'd be into her. Elijah and her…weird." Elena rolled her eyes at his comment and how he couldn't take anything seriously. Stefan shook his head with a small smirk on his head.

"Maybe you should do what he asks. I've never seen Elijah so furious. Try not being so stupid in the future and maybe he won't kill you." Stefan said nonchalantly.

He left the room, leaving Elena to stare at Damon who still sat on the floor. She glared at him, feeling betrayed. "I can't believe you attacked her."

"It wasn't too long ago that he kidnapped you and had Rebekah on murder watch. An eye for an eye." Damon stated as he twisted his eyes at her.

Elena immediately shook her head. "No. That's over with. There's more to the story than I told you. Leave her out of it, okay Damon?" Her mind started wandering to the story Elijah had told her. He deserved his happiness after all that time; she wouldn't let Damon mess it up.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? Review please. I love reviews...SOOO MUCH.<strong>


	33. Chapter 33

**Ok so sorry this chapter is shorter. I'd rather go for quality than quantity, but what do I know! You guys could hate this lol. **

**Music**

**Winter Ghosts - JBM **(talking)

**Sweet Sour (ACOUSTIC) - Band of Skulls**

**You Don't Know How Lucky You Are - Keaton Henson** (love ;] )

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><p>Elijah slowly walked back to his bedroom, knowing he'd find Hayley there. She stood looking out the window to the forest. Her hair was still drying from the shower. She wore an oversized sweater and boxer shorts. Her arms were crossed as she took in a deep breath, hearing Elijah walk through the door.<p>

"Did you kill him?" Hayley whispered without looking away from the window. A human would never have been able to hear her from such a distance. But he heard her loud and clear.

"No." He replied quickly. She turned away from the window to look at him, trying to see if he was telling the truth. When she realized he really didn't kill Damon, she let out a deep breath. Hayley ran her fingers through her hair.

"What you did tonight was truly reckless." Elijah stated as he slowly walked closer to her, stopping when he was only a couple feet away. He filled the room with tension and sternness.

"I know." She said looking at the ground.

"If you're trying to punish me, getting yourself killed is not the way to do it."

"I'm not trying to punish you." Hayley said faintly with her arms crossed.

Elijah stepped closer. "Are you sure? Because you went out of the way to do the exact opposite of what I requested. As a result, Damon Salvatore could have killed you. I also asked you to stay away from Klaus, you decided to disobey that too." He tried not to raise his voice at her. That would only cause her to shut him out.

Hayley's guilt suddenly vanished when he brought up his brother. It was her turn to be mad. "Why exactly did you tell me to do that, Elijah? You never said anything about him, other than all the horrible things he's done." She stopped, scared of what she was about to say. "Why didn't you say how similar we are?"

Elijah stared at her for a minute. He knew what she was asking about.

"I didn't want you to try with him." He said softly.

"Try what?" Her voice was exasperated.

"What I know you are already trying to do. I heard you talking with him. He's never going to change, Hayley. You feel like you need to aid him because you went through similar circumstances. I don't want you getting close; he'll only end up hurting you. I don't trust Klaus, especially not with you."

"Well, maybe that's why he's never changed. He doesn't have anyone. The people around him are his hybrids and his family that want nothing to do with him. I know more than anyone…I…He needs a friend, Elijah."

"Hayley, listen to what you are saying. Please…just stay away from him."

There was a change in his posture and voice. She watched him carefully, trying to catch what had altered. He wasn't telling her something. "There's something else." She said gently. He looked up at her; but he didn't deny her guess.

The last two times Elijah had loved someone, Klaus took her away. Tatia loved them both and turned them against one each other, refusing to choose. With Katarina, Klaus stole her away from Elijah. He planned on killing her, causing Katarina to turn herself into a vampire who grew to only look out for herself. She'd lost her human self that Elijah had fallen in love with. He never stood a chance after what she did. What was to say Klaus wouldn't take Hayley away from him too?

"Elijah." Hayley whispered as she went to him. "Nothing is ever going to come between us. He's not going to take me from you. Do you understand? I love you, Elijah. It's never going to be anyone else." Her forehead was against his as she reassured him.

She moved her chin to his shoulder and one of her hands stroked the back of his neck. The idea of her loving anyone but Elijah seemed impossible. She couldn't even fathom the idea. After everything they'd been through, to just throw it all away by falling in love with someone else, Hayley would never allow it. Her only objective toward Klaus was to give him a friend, someone that wouldn't leave him like everyone else did. Before Elijah, she used to feel the same way as him. He was lonely, and forced people to like him instead of showing his humanity.

Elijah's hands went protectively around Hayley's back, holding her close. The slight pressure on her skin caused her to sharply intake a breath. Elijah immediately stepped back to look at her. Hayley swallowed as she looked down. He slowly stepped around her and carefully lifted up the sweater she was wearing. There were bruises covering her entire back, along with her shoulders he'd noticed earlier.

Hayley yanked her sweater back down and turned. "It's fine…I'm fine, Elijah." But he wouldn't look at her when she spoke. She breathed. "You can't go killing someone every time I get a bruise. I don't want you ever killing anyone at all…especially because of me."

"Damon Salvatore is an impulsive fool. It is astonishing he hasn't got himself killed already. It was required that I send him a message."

"And what exactly was the message?" Hayley asked with fear he could see in her eyes. Her heart was too kind for this town. She was too good to be surrounded by murderous vampires, dangerous werewolves, and a hybrid that was both and more. She once again wrapped her arms around his neck. The contact calmed her down and reminded her that when they were together, he was safe.

"The only thing you must know is that I left Damon alive." Elijah said softly. One of his hands rested on her hip while the other went behind her, beneath her sweater. His middle finger traced up her spine, careful not to cause her any harm. He smiled when he felt her shiver. No matter how many times he did it, she always had the same reaction.

Hayley tipped her head up. She hesitated before her lips touched Elijah's. It drove him crazy. They hadn't kissed since the day in the rain, right before she gained her memory back. But Hayley didn't count that since she didn't really know what was going on. She had been lost in her mind, her heart fighting to get back. This was their first kiss since he'd said good-bye, on her 18th birthday. Two years without their tenderness. It had been too long and she was going to make it count.

Her lips slowly moved against his, and her fingers instinctively went through his hair. They weren't used to its new, short length. Elijah barely allowed himself to touch her back; scared he would cause her pain. Instead, his hands were possessively on her waist. Gradually, he brought her closer and closer.

Without warning, Elijah's clothes became a nuisance and it was time for them to go. She hurriedly removed his charcoal blazer, dropping it to the floor. She walked backwards, pulling him with her, until she sat on the edge of the bed. His fingers traced the top hemline of her shorts before slipping them off. Hayley was now propped on the bed in only her sweater and her pink lace underwear. She reached up to Elijah and undid the tie from around his neck. As her fingers carefully undid the buttons of his shirt. He leaned down and kissed her neck, causing her to laugh at how much more difficult he was making it. And there was the laugh: the one that only he could trigger.

Elijah stood over her in nothing but his black boxer briefs. Hayley edged back further onto the bed, her eyes never leaving his. He followed, now hovering over her half naked body, his arms confining her on either side. He took in her smile, loving that it was the brightest when it was just them alone together. Hayley was so unaware of how beautiful she was. Elijah wanted to tell her that every second of the day, but she didn't really like hearing it just once. She didn't want or need to be called beautiful. She told him long ago that she didn't trust words. Their bodies against each other, his lips on hers, his fingers in her hair: those were the things that spoke to her, that meant something.

Hayley's playful smile gently faded, as she gazed deeper into his eyes. "I love you, Elijah. There's never going to be anyone else…only you. I want you to remember that. I'm not going to leave until you stop loving me."

After listening to her words, Elijah kissed across her collarbone, up her neck, until he made it back to her lips. The sound of her heart racing only drove him crazier. He stopped to look at her. "I am never letting you go again. I will love you forever, Hayley."

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><p><strong>Hope that wasn't too over the top cheesy. Maybe I'm getting really hormonal or something lol. <strong>

**Please review! Tell me your thoughts/dislikes/loves you know...**


	34. Chapter 34

**A longer chapter since and updated quick since last night's was so short. I had a lot of fun writing this one, so I hope you guys like it!**

**Music**

**Horse Mouth - Paul Stewart **(Elijah waking up)

**60 Feet Tall - The Dead Weather **(Kol & Hayley)

**Red Eyes & Tears - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club **(Bar)

**Phenomena - Yeah Yeah Yeah's **(Kol & Damon)

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><p>Elijah awoke to Klaus calling his name. He said it at a normal speaking volume. But to his vampire ears, it was loud enough to bring him out of his sleep. He looked down at Hayley who was fast asleep. Her head lay on his chest. He didn't want to leave her. But whatever his brother wanted was probably important. He rarely asked for his attention.<p>

He carefully got out of bed, making sure not to wake Hayley. She stirred a little, already feeling the absence of him. Hayley softly whispered his name in her sleep. Elijah grinned at her and quickly placed a kiss on her cheek before dressing at vampire speed. He went downstairs to see what his brother wanted.

"I'm sorry to disturb your lustful affair, dear brother." Klaus said with a smirk. Elijah glared at him. He knew they would be able to hear everything, but he honestly didn't care. "Did you truly demand something, Klaus? Or are you just trying to be a bother?" He asked, his voice deep.

"No, I require your assistance. The ring Alaric wears has driven him mad. He seems to have an alter ego, which has hidden the last stake capable of killing us."

"We should talk with Alaric. Perhaps we can compel him to remember. Or wait for his other side to possess him." Elijah suggested.

"They're keeping him at his apartment." Klaus regarded him, asking with his eyes if he was ready to go. Elijah raised his eyebrows and looked around.

"Where is Kol? I wish to speak with him before we leave."

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><p>Hayley's arm reached over to where Elijah lay. But all she found was an unfilled space of only sheets. Her eyes opened to find him gone. She had woken up alone in a cold bed. In his place was a note that lay on his pillow. But something in her peripheral vision caught her attention elsewhere. Kol sat at the edge of the bed with an amused expression. She jumped at the sight of him. Her hands made sure the sheet hid her; it was the only thing separating his eyes from seeing her unclothed body.<p>

"Kol! What the hell are you doing in here?" She roared at him.

"Waiting for you to wake up. I'm quite bored." He shrugged with that evil smirk. The fact that she was completely naked under the covers didn't faze him at all. Hayley covered her face with her hand.

"Couldn't you wait somewhere else?" She finally grabbed the letter on the pillow to read. Kol watched her attentively.

_I had some business to attend with Niklaus and didn't want to wake you. I hope you don't intend on having a repeat of yesterday. I will be back later tonight._

_ Love, Elijah_

Hayley looked up at Kol. "Why didn't you go with them?" She asked suspiciously. Kol shrugged again. "It all sounded very boring to me."

Her eyes narrowed at the lie. "Elijah asked you to babysit me, didn't he?"

"Now, I don't believe he used those exact words…"

Hayley immediately became angry. "Will you please get out so I can at least get dressed?" She asked of Kol. In the blink of an eye, he moved to the other side of the bed so he was sitting a mere few inches from her. She froze at the surprise.

"What if I promised to close my eyes?" He said with an innocent voice that was anything but. She grabbed the pillow next to her and hit him as hard as she could. "Get out, Kol." Obviously it didn't hurt him at all.

He slowly leaned forward, causing Hayley to hold in her breath. "I could easily get rid of that silly sheet of yours." Her eyes narrowed, not understanding what game he was playing. "You have five minutes. Any longer and I'll come up and drag you out myself. Clothes or no clothes. Boredom brings out the worst in me." Kol winked before he rushed out of the room, in a blur. The door closed behind him. Hayley immediately got out of bed to put on clothes, fully believing he meant every word that he said. What in the world was Elijah thinking leaving her alone with him? She was downstairs a few minutes later in skinny jeans, studded boots, and a black fitted blazer. Kol turned around to look at her.

"I don't know what you expect me to do. I'm not some jester for your entertainment. By the way, I fully intend on getting you back for that little stunt you just pulled." Hayley said as she scowled at him, which only made him smile more.

"Believe me, hearing you and my brother's liveliness last night was punishment enough." Kol raised one of his eyebrows as he spoke.

Hayley's face instantly flushed in humiliation. She hadn't even thought about Elijah's siblings being able to hear them last night. Embarrassment crowded her mind. The negative side of being in a house filled with vampires: their enhanced hearing. She shifted uncomfortably.

Kol moved quickly in front of her. She had observed that he disliked acting like a human. He moved super quickly, making it hard to keep up with him sometimes. He refused to suppress his vampire abilities when it was unnecessary. She looked up at him questioning why he moved so near.

"Your cheeks turn the loveliest shade of pink when you blush. Shame it doesn't happen more often." His index finger traced one of her cheekbones. Hayley slapped his hand away. A glare immediately covered his face. She'd never seen him have anything but his devilish smirk or an amused face on.

"Stop doing that." She exclaimed with her arms crossed.

"Why, is my brother the only one that's allowed to touch you?" Kol chided.

"Yes." She immediately snapped. And she meant what she said. Just like that, his glare was replaced with an amused grin. He played with the car keys in his hand, which Hayley just noticed for the first time.

"Come on. Let's go." Kol said coolly.

"Go where?"

"Somewhere engaging. I guess our only choice is the grill, unfortunately. Also, this town's sad excuse entertainment." Kol said, slightly annoyed.

"I don't think Elijah would be very happy with his babysitter if I went there again." Hayley challenged. As of right now, she didn't want to go anywhere with him. He kept looking at her in a weird way. She couldn't figure out if it she was a piece of food to him or a form of amusement.

"Since when do you do as you are told? Anyways…I believe he's only worried about your safety. If you're with me, no one will bother you. I refuse to stay in this mansion for the entire day." Kol gave her one of his charming smiles and she hated him for it.

"Fine. But I'm driving. You better behave yourself, Kol. And if Elijah finds out… I'm blaming you." She ripped the keys out of his hand as she walked past him to the door.

When they got to the grill, it was lunchtime. The local high school must have had a half-day because it was filled with teenagers. A streak of blonde, in the corner of her eye, caught Hayley's attention. She immediately recognized Caroline who sat at a table with a few friends. Caroline immediately noticed Kol's attendance. Apparently, his reputation here wasn't good. One of her friends turned to look at Hayley and the original. Hayley's heart sank as she recognized the newest doppelgänger straightaway. Kol saw her reaction, looking between her and Elena.

"I see you haven't met the lovely Elena yet." He smirked.

"I need a drink." She said, ignoring his comment and shooting to the bar.

Kol followed her. "That's what I like to hear."

She ordered a vodka tonic and Kol added a scotch to the order.

"What do you say we play a few games of pool?" He asked.

"Whatever." Hayley headed towards the tables with her drink in tow.

"So what exactly are Klaus and Elijah doing?" She asked as she threw him a stick and then rubbed chalk on the end of hers. Kol seriously shook his head and pointed to his ear, showing that they were not at the place to be talking about it. She looked up to see Elena and her friends watching them. Mostly they were looking at her and not Kol. It made her uncomfortable. Did they know as much about her as she did about them? Kol watched her reaction to their staring.

"Don't mind them, they just can't get over how good-looking I am." He said as he broke to start the game. Hayley shook her had as she laughed. "I guess Elijah took all the modesty, leaving nothing for the rest of the family."

Kol smiled at her comment but then his face became concentrated. He was listening to something her ears couldn't catch. He looked over to the entrance, causing her to follow his gaze. Damon Salvatore had just walked in with another guy. She assumed it was his brother, Stefan.

"I think we should go." Hayley stated quietly, hoping Damon couldn't hear. Kol rolled his eyes and shook his head no. The older Salvatore quickly saw the two of them and started toward them. She tried to ignore him as she hit the cue ball.

"How adorable, occupying brother's girl while he's out." Damon's voice interrupted their game. Hayley looked over to see Kol's amusement and charm had vanished. He was either hot or cold. One minute he had a twinkle in his eye and the next, he looked like he was about to kill someone. He stepped close to Damon, towering over him with his taller frame.

"I believe you owe the lady an apology from last night." Kol said dangerously.

"Kol." Hayley interjected. Her voice was filled with warning. The last thing they needed was to get into a fight at the town's hot spot. She should have never let him convince her to tag along. Not that he left her much choice. Damon ignored Kol's request, now turning his attention to her. Before he could say anything, Stefan quickly walked over with Elena at his side.

"Damon, stop harassing them. They aren't doing anything wrong." Hayley was taken aback with Stefan's peaceful words. He touched his older brother's arm, trying to pull him away to the other side of the restaurant. Stefan knew that Damon was only taking a risk to prove that he wouldn't listen to Elijah and he wasn't scared of him or his threats. Sometimes his younger brother had to be the sensible one.

Damon eyed Hayley up and down, knowing it would get to her. "Lovely seeing you again, Hayley." He cooed at her. She wouldn't let him think she was scared of him. Before he said that, she had composure but she'd had enough of being calm and polite.

"There are plenty of knives laying around. Perhaps you'd like another one in your side?" She raised an eyebrow, challenging him. It was senseless, really.

Damon only gave that sideways grin at her. "Braver are we? Just as long as you've got an original at your side." He did his signature eye twist. Kol stepped between him and Hayley protectively. The gesture took her by surprise. Even if he weren't there, her sharp tongue would have still said something stupid. It was always getting her into trouble, even more when she was involved with vampires.

"Damon, come on. Let's go." It was Elena who spoke this time. Hayley eyed her. Apparently she was glaring without realizing it because Elena looked slightly scared of what Hayley might do. Her tall height and icy stare were enough of a warning to Elena.

Once Damon was corralled away from Kol and Hayley, they all started talking about her. "I like her. She doesn't take any of your crap." Stefan said with smile. Damon only glared at his brother. Elena was still watching her from across the room. Hayley was too busy laughing and playing pool with Kol to notice.

Elena's brow lined. "Did you see the way she looked at me?" She whispered, confused at Hayley's reaction toward her. There was no reason she should dislike her without even knowing anything about her.

Caroline suddenly chimed in. "Really Elena?" She turned to face Caroline with a confused look. "Think about it." She waited. "The only two women we have heard of Elijah caring about were doppelgängers. They looked just like you. How would you feel if you were in her position? You're a threat." Elena was dazed, she'd never thought about it that way before. A second later Caroline smiled, "I think she's gorgeous. And she has sass…not what I imagined for Elijah."

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><p><strong>Obviously there wasn't a lot of ElijahHayley action. BTW. If any of you are thinking Kol has a thing for Hayley. Actually...TELL ME! I love hearing from you guys seriously. I've had a drop of reviews with the last two chapters soo...**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! please :)**


	35. Chapter 35

**First of all, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all the absolutely amazing reviews. I was doing math homework (ew) and after I was done, I checked my email and had like 14 of them. It made me so happy, so thank you.**

**Music**

**Hometowns - Band of Skulls **(Caroline)

**Epilogue - The Antlers **(Kol & Elijah)

**Holland - Cold Specks **(Elijah & Hayley)

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><p>A couple hours had passed. Kol and Hayley still were joking around at the grill. Plus Elena and her friends still sat and sometimes watched them from the other side of the restaurant. Kol didn't switch from Doctor Jekyll to Mr. Hyde for the rest of the night. That was what Hayley called him in her head. If she said it aloud, she guessed he wouldn't be too fond of it. She started being able to see what set him off and what kept him calm. He clearly loved to push people to their limits. Hayley guessed it was because he was one of the younger siblings in his family. Sometimes he fell into the older brother's shadows, so he had to say things to push people to get their attention when he was ignored.<p>

"Do you want anything from the bar?" Hayley asked Kol. He muttered some drink like scotch or whiskey. She walked down to the bar, which was getting more and more crowded as nighttime slowly fell on them. The bartender gave her a sign to show it would be a second. Hayley sighed and sat at one of the bar stools.

"Hi!" She heard to her right. Turning to address whoever's bubbly voice was greeting her, she saw Caroline beaming.

"Hello." Hayley smirked with her eyebrows raised. Being bubbly wasn't her thing but for some reason she always liked when other people were. It was nice to be around people that seemed happy no matter the situation.

"I'm Caroline." She quickly said.

"Yeah, I know." Hayley laughed.

"You know?" She eyed her.

"Well…yeah. I know all about you and your friends. I've been well informed." Hayley leaned against the bar. She found it humorous how surprised Caroline was about her knowing everything.

"And you're Elijah's girlfriend." Caroline stated obviously. The word girlfriend made Hayley chuckle. But she stopped instantly when she realized it made her seem like she was laughing at Caroline.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you. It's just… I find it weird when people call me his girlfriend. That term just doesn't seem fitting for us."

She nodded her head, understanding what Hayley was trying to say. She played with the straw in her drink, thinking if she should say what she wanted to. Taking in a deep breath, she looked up at Hayley.

"I don't mean to offend you or anything. But you're just nothing like I pictured when I heard about you and Elijah."

Hayley's smile faded; she tilted her head and thought. "Well what type of girl were you expecting for Elijah exactly?" She contested.

Caroline thought about that for a moment. "I always thought he'd date someone very…" She stopped. "Honestly…now that I think about it, I really don't know. All I can say is that you were a surprise to all of us." Her expression was very careful with what she said, scared that she might offend Hayley at any moment.

Hayley smiled at her reassuring her that she hadn't. It was hard for her to be offended; she didn't take things seriously enough for that. Hayley leaned in closely to Caroline. "I'll tell you a little secret, Caroline." She nodded, confused about what she was about to hear.

"Everyone has their true selves buried underneath something: whether it be sarcasm, heartlessness, arrogance…whatever. We hide because we're scared that when our true selves show and people see, they won't like who we really are." The bartender interrupted her by asking what she wanted. She quickly ordered her and Kol's drink, and then looked back at Caroline. "Elijah saw what no one else did. The sarcasm, the swearing, and the lies…they never fooled him. He just sees me for me. It's kind of hard not to fall in love with someone like that." She looked up at Caroline who stared with her eyes seriously, listening closely. She hadn't anticipated the answer Hayley gave her. She'd completely misjudged her.

"But Elijah…he's just so serious! I don't think I've ever even seen him smile."

"Maybe you just don't look hard enough. I think Elijah wants to maintain his dangerous reputation…so I won't ruin it for him. In all honesty, if I was anyone else, I'd probably be scared of him too." Hayley paused. "People aren't always what they seem, Caroline. And once you find out, sometimes you have to ask yourself what made them that way and wonder if it was really their fault."

"I feel like you're talking about someone specific." Caroline pointed out.

Hayley grabbed the two drinks that were finally ready. She stood up and turned to face her. "I think you know who I'm talking about..." Before Caroline could ask any more, she was walking back to Kol.

Caroline sighed. Of course she was talking about Klaus. But it was hard for her to believe that there was more to Klaus than being a heartless monster. And she still loved Tyler, who would forever be sired because of that stupid original hybrid.

Elijah and Klaus returned from their task in the middle of the night. They had been unsuccessful on finding the stake. Alaric's condition was unusual and there was no way of triggering his other side. Compelling him did nothing. But they were able to compel him to forget they had been there to see him. Alaric tried to wear his ring as little as possible now that he was aware of the its effects. Luckily for the two of them, he wasn't wearing it when they showed up asking questions.

Elijah was calm when he could hear Hayley's heartbeat slowly beating from his bedroom. No doubt, she was asleep. He tried to listen for Kol. Finally, he caught a glass clink from one of the dens. Klaus had already left, probably to go to his art room. So Elijah went to find Kol.

He was drinking in the den, the fireplace burning. Kol's only acknowledgement to Elijah was a rising of his glass. "Come to ask if Hayley behaved?" Kol asked with a mocking attitude. Elijah didn't reply, only leaned against the bookcase with his arms crossed.

"Before you get mad at Hayley…I forced her to go to the grill with me."

Elijah stood up straighter. But Kol kept talking before he could interrupt.

"Relax, brother, nothing happened to her."

Silence filled the room as Kol stared into the fire and Elijah watched him.

"It's seems Hayley's taken quite a liking to you." Elijah said.

Kol raised his eyebrows. "Jealous are we?"

Elijah smirked, as he shook his head no.

"If I did care about her, I wouldn't stand a chance." Kol's words made Elijah quickly look at him. "She's too in love with you. Even tonight, she seemed as if she was carefree and having fun. But I know she was thinking about you the entire time…where you were and if you were safe."

Elijah stared at him for a moment. Kol was notorious for being overconfident and cocky. The fact that he openly admitted he'd never have a chance with Hayley, even in a joking matter, was unlike him. Elijah could hardly remember specific moments when his younger brother was genuinely serious. He soaked in what his brother just told him. It was clear Kol had taken a liking to Hayley too; although, he would never admit it. He rarely admitted to liking anyone. Her being human only lowered the chances of him calling her his friend.

"Thank you for looking after her, Kol." Elijah said sincerely. Kol only shrugged his shoulders. He was done talking to his brother. He did him a favor and now nothing else should be expected.

Elijah left the room to go up to his bedroom. Hayley's breathing was slow and steady as she slept. Changing out of his suit, he laid down next to her. He sat up and watched her sleep for a few minutes. Kol's words replayed in his head. _She's too in love with you._ Elijah never thought their love for one another was so noticeable. He could picture her act with Kol perfectly. She'd make jokes and laugh but every once in awhile she would stare off, allowing herself to think about what she really wanted to. But in a second she'd be back. People rarely noticed her slips.

Elijah reached down and kissed her lips lightly. Hayley slowing opened her eyes. She rubbed one of her eyes with the back of a hand so she could actually see clearly. Once her vision focused on Elijah, a tired smile formed on her lips.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Hello." Elijah lightly laughed at her.

"How did your secret mission go?"

"How did my what go?" His brow wrinkled.

"I didn't know what you were doing. And Kol wouldn't tell me. I decided to dub it a secret mission." She innocently buried her face into his side after she was finished. And in return, he ran his hands through her hair.

"It turned out to be uneventful and pointless." Hayley only sighed at his answer, simply glad that he was home safely. "I apologize for continuing to leave you alone all day long." He said softly to her. She moved her face to look up at him.

"Don't apologize, I understand. Plus, I wasn't alone; I had Kol to entertain me. But don't be mad…he took me to the grill tonight." Hayley held her breath.

"Kol already informed me." He replied calmly.

"You're not mad? Where's the wrath?" She exclaimed quietly.

Elijah quickly kissed her lips, then her cheek, and down her neck. He could feel Hayley's smile. "Is that punishment enough for you?" He asked her. The only response she gave him was her laughter. "My only concern is your safety, Hayley. And I don't believe Kol would have allowed anything to happen to you." He paused looking at her before he continued. "I think he sees you as somewhat of a friend." Elijah observed her reaction to his statement prudently.

"I see him as a friend too. But he sure likes to push my limits." She hesitated. "Sometimes he scares me though. Don't ever tell him that." She warned.

He looked at her concerned. "Why does he frighten you?"

"He switches his emotions so quickly. And he only has two: charming or horrifying. I'm scared I won't always be prepared for the second one." Hayley was quiet as her thoughts drifted to events earlier in the night. She sat up and moved slightly away from Elijah.

"I saw Elena tonight." She played with the edge of the sheets instead of looking at him. "I think I scared her." She went on. "Kol told me I looked at her as if I would kill her." Laughing uneasily. "I didn't mean to…it was just how I reacted."

Elijah understood why she was telling him this. Hayley couldn't actually tell him that she was bothered about his feelings toward Elena. She was never good with telling him her worries or insecurities. Last night, he was troubled about her and Klaus; now the tables had turned.

"Hayley." He muttered. But she wouldn't look at him. "Hayley don't do that." For some reason, her cheeks flushed as she finally stared at him. Elijah realized she was embarrassed about considering he could possibly love the current doppelgänger. "I never have, nor will I ever, love Elena."

"She just looks exactly like them." Hayley whispered.

"I loved them; but not anymore. I wish my past didn't burden you so much." His hand reached for her hand. Their fingers intertwined as a comfort to her. "Elena may look like them, but she's not the same person. Hayley, don't you understand? They blend together. You are the outlier, stopping history from repeating. You were never part of any of this until I forced it onto you. And you've changed everything."

Hayley's eyes now had a hopeful edge to them as she slowly nodded in understanding. She moved closer now, placing her head lightly on his bare chest. Elijah rubbed her shoulder soothingly and kissed the top of her head.

"I had no intention to wake you. It's the middle of the night. I promise I'm not leaving any time soon, try to go back to sleep." He whispered to her ear.

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><p><strong>Tell me your thoughts. Review :) Please and Thank you?<strong>


	36. Chapter 36

**So sorry for the time it took to put this up. I'm actually writing an essay for a class so yeah. LOL. Hope you guys like this chapter.**

**Music**

**State of Our Affairs - Mt. Desolation **

**Dirty Paws - Of Monsters & Men**

**Take A Bow - Greg Laswell **(Elijah & Hayley talk)

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><p>The next morning was oddly warmer than a usual brisk spring day. Birds outside the window woke Elijah. Summer was tiptoeing closer. He didn't have to look at Hayley to know she was sleeping. Her heart thumped against his side and her chest rose and fell in a steady pattern. He made a promise to himself last night that he would spend the day with her. No matter what Kol said, he didn't want to make it a pattern to leave Hayley alone with him. Even she knew that his younger brother's behavior was completely unpredictable.<p>

Elijah heard Rebekah's high heels clicking about the mansion. She'd been here every day since Hayley's arrival. But she left the house early and came back late. He felt like she was avoiding meeting Hayley. He had no idea where she went off to the fast couple of days. And frankly, he didn't really care. But he did notice that she wasn't leaving the house today, she'd missed her usual time of departure.

Elijah couldn't go back to sleep now. The nature outside had woken up. To a human, it was white noise. But to vampires, the smallest sounds could seem like they were in the room. He carefully separated himself from Hayley to get dressed for the day. As he was in the walk-in closet, he could hear her slowly waking up. It seemed she always sensed when he was no longer there. Elijah was neatly putting on his tie as she leaned against the doorframe, watching.

He glanced at her. She was only wearing a tank top and her underwear. Her short hair was still messy from sleeping on it. In public, she was always put together. Even with all of Hayley's stylish outfits and clothes, he preferred her the most like this. It was comfortable and intimate. No one else got to see her this way but him. He slowly walked over and kindly kissed her. "Good morning."

Hayley smiled at him. "Morning." Her voice was still raspy from just waking up. "Are you going somewhere?" She thought she hid any disappointment that could possibly sneak in, but Elijah caught it anyway.

"I thought we could take a walk. It's a lovely day. Would you care to join me?" He asked her. Her face immediately lit up at his question. She quickly nodded her head and left the closet. He could hear the water running in the bathroom and her getting ready in the bathroom. Elijah went downstairs to wait for her, getting out of her way of changing and what not. He ran into Rebekah when he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"And where have you been hiding?" Elijah asked her.

"Nowhere of importance. Why, sad I didn't welcome you home?" She said.

"Simply curious. I was starting to believe you were evading me."

Right as she was about to reply with a feisty retort, Hayley interrupted their conversation by bounding down the stairs. The camera Elijah bought her was in her hands. Looking down at it, she was playing with the some dials. When she finally looked up, her eyes widened a little at Rebekah.

"Hi! You must be Rebekah. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Hayley." She was her usual charming self, an outgoing smile on her face. Elijah looked from her to Rebekah, watching his sister's reaction.

She crossed her arms and slightly lifted her chin. Although Hayley was a good amount taller than her, she was a vampire and therefore saw her as no threat…physically at least. "Pleasure." Rebekah replied coldly. Her lips pursed. She was sizing Hayley up. It was only because Hayley was a girl that she felt it necessary.

"Rebekah." Elijah warned his sister severely. He knew what she was doing and wasn't about to allow her to disregard and belittle Hayley when she, in return, had only been polite. Her eyes immediately glared at her brother. Rebekah may also be an original vampire and strong. But Elijah was still her older brother and they both knew he could easily take her. And in the scenario where Hayley was possibly being threatened, it would only make his sister's chances lower.

Hayley looked between the two siblings, immediately understanding what was going on. She could feel Elijah's body tensing next to hers. Without even thinking about it, her hand softly grabbed his. Rebekah's eyes shot down to look at the movement, but Hayley didn't notice.

"Come on, Elijah. Let's go, the lighting is really good right now." She said softly to him. He finally broke his glare with his sister and regarded Hayley's comment. He only nodded and led her toward the door, her hand still in his. Hayley looked over her shoulder at Rebekah.

"It was nice meeting you, Rebekah." Hayley said genuinely. She wasn't senseless; she knew that Elijah's sister didn't like her. But she wasn't going to give up that easily. And she definitely wasn't going to let her think she was intimidated.

Elijah led their walk to the woods that surrounded the mansion. The beginning of their stroll was shared in silence. He was still annoyed with his sister and too lost in his anger to speak.

"I apologize for my sisters rudeness." He said to Hayley.

She smiled a little. "It's okay. I was kind of expecting that. She doesn't like humans to begin with, plus I'm a girl…the odds weren't exactly in my favor."

Hayley let go of his hand, causing him to stop walking. She quickly lifted her camera and took a picture him. In return, he teasingly frowned at her; which made her giggle. "You look so mad. I had to document it. Stop worrying about Rebekah."

Elijah closed the distance between them. "Trust me when I say this is hardly mad." He said as he looked down at her.

Hayley raised her eyebrows. "Oh, I'm so scared." She mocked him. Hayley laughed a little before sticking out her tongue at him. Before Elijah could prove his point like he always did, she took off into the forest. Hayley hadn't gone running in awhile and it felt good to move her legs. Her body soaked in the sudden wave of adrenaline. Elijah only let her get about 50 yards before he was in front of her.

Hayley immediately stopped, looking up at him with a grin. She sighed. "It's not fair. If you were human, I'd actually have a chance." Quickly placing the camera over her eye, she took another picture of him. He shook his head at her. Suddenly, Hayley's face changed. She was zoning out, thinking about something. Elijah immediately noticed the change. Instead of talking about what was on her mine, she started walking again, stopping ever so often to take a picture.

"Something is troubling you." Elijah stated simply.

"Would you ever change me?" Hayley spoke so quickly. It was the only way she was able to speak of it aloud. She didn't need to say vampire for him to know what she was talking about. Her face was cautious as she watched him.

"No." Elijah said sternly. His jaw locked and his lips tightened. He always expected this subject would come up at some point. But no matter when it arose, he would never be prepared for it.

"Don't act like you haven't thought about it before." Hayley argued. "Do you really plan to let me live a human life and then watch me slowly die? Every day I get closer." She added.

"I don't wish for you to have this. Human life is more precious than you'll ever understand. I would never take that away from you." Elijah said calmly.

"But what about what I want? It's my life." She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Look, I'm not asking for you to change me into a vampire right now…not for awhile. Just don't act like it's never going to be a possibility."

Elijah only watched her. His hands were in his pockets.

"Are you mad?" Hayley muttered. He shook his head. She walked closer to him. The distance between them bothered her. It represented how different their opinions on the subject were. "I didn't mean to upset you." Her arms wrapped around his waist as she leaned into him. She lifted her chin and kissed him softly on the lips. Elijah finally gave in, kissing her back and moving his hands from his pockets to her lower back.

Elijah didn't want to think about her as a vampire. She had a point that he would never be able to stand back and slowly watch her die. What other way could they live happily other than her joining him in immortality? But he saw vampires as monsters and turning Hayley into one hurt to think about. She would have the constant cravings for fresh blood of the innocent. Elijah wouldn't be able to handle her guilt that would all fell on him for turning her into what she'd become. But a part of him believed that no matter what happened to her, she could never become the monster him and his family were. Caroline Forbes suddenly came to mind. Even if she wanted to, Elijah knew that she could never be evil. If she could do it, there was more than a chance for Hayley. She was stronger than all of the humans in Mystic Falls. Even Elena, with all she'd been through, seemed weak in comparison.

He put a smile to reassure Hayley that he wasn't upset. This was the first time they were able to truly be alone since they had arrived. He wasn't going to ruin it by talking about the possibilities of the future. Hayley's arm linked with his as she smiled and started talking about lighter subjects in order to get his mind off the topic. Elijah watched her talk about common things and told himself he would never be able to survive if she died. Hayley brought light into his life. Without her, every thing would be meaningless.

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><p><strong>I know a lot of you were excited about Rebekah's reaction to Hayley. I know it was really brief. But don't worry, there will be more interaction to come. <strong>

**_Review_ your thoughts pleaseeeeee.**


	37. Chapter 37

**So sorry it took so long. I finally finished my stupid essay and could actually write something I wanted to. I got a lot of mixed reviews about last chapter lol. Someone even said Elijah reminded them of Edward Cullen (OH GOD!). That was not what I was shooting for at all. So I felt the need to explain it. By changing Hayley, Elijah feels selfish. She's giving up a lot and he's giving up nothing by letting her do it. But in his mind, he wants nothing more than to be with her forever. And Edward Cullen is a pansy ass who sparkles. LOL!**

**Music**

**If Only - Fink **(Klaus)

**The Dreamer - The Tallest Man on Earth **(Rebekah)

**Can't Go Back - Rosi Golan **(Girls watching Elijah & Hayley)

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><p>Later into the day, after their walk, Elijah left the house again without explaining to Hayley. She knew it had something to do with finding the stake that could kill them. Questions didn't really seem necessary to her. They would only cause more worry than she needed.<p>

The sun was starting to fall as she sat outside of the mansion. It was too nice of a day to spend any time inside. She sat on the stairs that lead away from the stone patio and into the yard. Her feet rested in the grass as she looked at some of the pictures she'd taken earlier.

"Elijah didn't tell me you were a photographer." A British accent said behind her. Hayley's head whipped around to see Klaus casually standing a few feet away from her.

"I don't think he told you _anything_ about me." Hayley said while turning back to look at her camera.

"No, he didn't." Klaus said rigidly. He hadn't talked to her since she invaded his art room. In all honesty, he was staying away from her as much as possible. The more he was around her, the more she would know about him. And that would only cause problems.

"I wouldn't call myself a photographer. That sounds so qualified and professional. It's just a pointless hobby." Hayley added quietly.

"The arts are never pointless and always more than a hobby." Klaus corrected her. She laughed at that. Not at him, more to her, as if she knew an inside joke that he didn't.

"You should tell that to my parents." She sighed. Looking over at Klaus, she noticed how awkward he was standing. He looked uncomfortable and out of place. "This is really hard for you, isn't it?" She asked.

"What is?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Just talking to someone. You can't have a simple conversation unless you're getting something you want out of it." She smirked, knowing already that she was right. He glared at her somewhat, only proving more that she was spot on. Hayley's phone started ringing. It was her sister. Quickly getting up she walked over to Klaus.

"That's your problem. You don't know how to talk to people unless you're threatening or trying to seduce them. I don't think I need to point out that most people don't fit into either of those categories." She raised her eyebrows at him before picking up the phone and walking into the house.

"Hello." Hayley said into the phone.

"You haven't called me in over a week. Not okay." Lisa said.

"I know, I'm sorry. I've just been really busy with school and I haven't had a lot of free time." As she lied to her sister, Elijah walked in the front door. He stopped to watch her, wondering who she was on the phone with.

"Is everything ok? You sound different." As soon as Lisa spoke, Elijah recognized her voice.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I promise. I actually have a really big exam to study for so can I call me back later?" Hayley reassured her with more lies.

"Well, of course, don't let me ruin your GPA!" Lisa laughed before saying her good-byes to her little sister.

After Hayley hung up, she stared a little at her phone. Elijah slowly walked to her side. He knew that she disliked lying to her sister, but she didn't really have that much of a choice. Hayley gave a forced smile to him before she leaned into him. He held onto her and kissed the top of her head. She didn't need to say she missed her sister, he already knew.

Hayley stepped away to look at him. "Do you trust me?" She asked him.

Elijah immediately nodded but his eyes were confused.

"Where's Rebekah?" She asked simply. Elijah listened for a second.

"She's in her room."

Before he could ask anything more, she was going up the stairs and down the hallway to his sister's room. Hayley knocked on the door and waited for some kind of cue that said it was okay to come inside. She heard a faint _come in_ from the other side of the door and carefully opened the door. Elijah listened to the exchange from downstairs, ready to intervene if necessary.

"Hey." Hayley said softly. Rebekah gave her a small smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the grill or whatever. Just something to get out of the house."

Rebekah eyed her suspiciously, wondering what she was up to.

"I just thought it'd be nice to hang out with someone other than your brothers. If you're not up for it…I totally understand." Hayley said genuinely.

Rebekah wasn't used to someone being sincerely nice to her. She didn't know what to make of it. Hayley had no motive to be friendly to her other than her relation to Elijah. She was only trying to be kind. Thinking about it a moment, Rebekah slowly nodded her head. "Fine." She said softly. Hayley smiled and went back downstairs to wait for her.

Elijah looked at her, amused. He opened his mouth to say something to her but Hayley's finger touched his lips, stopping him. She quickly pecked him on the lips. "I'll see you later." Hayley smiled at him. She turned to see Rebekah walking toward her. Elijah watched the two of them leave through the front door.

When Hayley and Rebekah walked into the grill, she noticed Damon sitting at the bar with another guy who looked a lot older. She immediately sighed at the sight. It was extremely hard to avoid him.

"They really have nowhere else to go, do they?" Hayley said more to herself.

Rebekah already knew what she was talking about. She rolled her eyes in agreement. They grabbed a table more in the restaurant area than the bar. Hayley's cell phone vibrated from a text message.

"Is that Elijah? Already checking up on you, is he?" Rebekah said casually.

Hayley glanced at her phone, quickly typing in a reply and then putting her phone away into her purse. "No. Actually it's my older sister."

Rebekah's eyebrows slightly rose. "You have a sister?" She tried not to act too interested in anything she had to say.

"Yeah, she lives back home in Chicago." Hayley couldn't help but sound a little sad when she talked about Lisa.

"I always wished I had a sister." Rebekah said softly as she looked at the table. Hayley gave her an encouraging smile.

"I always wished I had an older brother. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side." She laughed at the stupid cliché and got a smile out of Rebekah. A waiter came over to their table. An extremely cute boy, who looked only a couple years younger than Hayley, stood at the edge of their table. He was tall, blonde, and blue-eyed; the typical boy next door and star quarterback type.

"Rebekah." He greeted politely with a little tilt of his head.

"Hello Matt." She replied back equally polite.

That was when Matt noticed Hayley also sitting at the table. He held out his hand. "Hey, I'm Matt." She smiled at him as she shook his hand.

"One of the few humans left in this town." She joked. "I'm Hayley."

Matt smiled at her. "So you're the one everyone's been talking about…"

Hayley looked confused. "It's a small town." Matt added, laughing. "What can I get for you ladies?" He asked them. Hayley and Rebekah quickly ordered some food off the menu. And Matt left to place their order.

"What was that all about?" Hayley eyed Rebekah.

"Nothing." Rebekah said quickly.

Hayley just smiled at her and slowly nodded her head. "He's cute and seems extremely normal." She approved with a laugh. She was trying really hard to make Rebekah feel comfortable, but she wasn't making it very easy for her.

"Kol tried to kill him." Rebekah said quickly.

Hayley's eyes widened slightly. She said it so casually. Hayley started to realize that death meant very little to Elijah's siblings. Humans were just victims in their personal amusements and games.

"Why would Kol kill Matt?" She asked softly.

"So desperate for affection that we're lowering our standards to humans, Rebekah?" Damon's voice disturbed their chat. Rebekah stared daggers at him and opened her mouth to say something but was beat by Hayley.

"Just wondering... When you became a vampire, was the thing that got magnified your ability to annoy the hell out of everyone around you?" There was no smile on her face as the insult slid off her tongue. But Rebekah looked amused.

"Rebekah, why didn't you call? I had such a lovely time that night. The only follow-up I got was you draining my blood while I hung from chains." Damon cooed at Rebekah. Her smile immediately vanished. Hayley had enough of dealing with Damon. And it bothered her the way he talked to Rebekah in that pompous tone.

"Don't you have something better to do? Perhaps chase after Elena or maybe cry in a corner about your unrequited love. Really, anything would probably suffice."

That was the first time Hayley saw Damon's eyes go dark. Even when he attacked her in the alley, he didn't look as dangerous as he did currently. The mention of Elena changed something inside him. Hayley immediately realized she'd taken it too far. She had been around Kol too much and adopted his ways of pushing the limit. But, in that moment, she won over Rebekah.

Damon took a step toward Hayley. But a body that had stepped between her and Damon instantly blocked her view. Her heart dropped when she immediately recognized Elijah. She got out of her seat and stood next to him, hoping she'd be able to stop him from doing anything rash. But when she looked up at his face, he appeared calm and collected.

"I hope you didn't have any dishonorable intentions, Damon." He spoke evenly. Hayley sighed a little in relief, even though he never did anything compulsive or reckless. She looked to the side and noticed Kol watching carefully. He winked at Hayley who, in return, rolled her eyes. She continued looking around to see that Elena and all her friends were now here, watching nervously.

"Maybe you should tell your girlfriend to watch what she says." Damon's evil look was now gone and he tried to play off everything. His careless grin took over.

"Perhaps if you stopped bothering her, she wouldn't have to." Elijah raised an eyebrow at Damon, challenging him; but the younger vampire new better than to make a scene in a public place. He wasn't scared of Elijah, but he did know he wasn't stronger than him. Damon walked away. He left Hayley alone from then on.

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><p>After Elena yelled at Damon for continuing to have a death wish with the originals, she and Bonnie asked Caroline to listen to what they were saying. They watched Elijah and Hayley's interaction like a movie. Curiosity had gotten the best of them. It was one of the rare moments when they actually acted like teenage girls and not victims fighting the supernatural.<p>

"He's apologizing for intruding on her and Rebekah's girl time." Caroline narrated with a smile.

"Oh my gosh. Look at the way they're staring at each other." Bonnie gushed. They watched as Elijah was smiling at Hayley. It was the first time any of them had even seen it. He seemed like a completely different person when he was around her. Kol and him sat down at the booth that Hayley and Rebekah had already been sitting at. Elijah looked oddly out of place with his suit and old-fashioned conduct.

The two appeared to act normal in public, but the three girls noticed little things that were never meant to be caught by others. He would hold her hand underneath the table so no one could see. Or once, when his siblings weren't paying attention, he whispered something into her ear. Hayley turned and softly laughed at him. They were in tune together, communicating and reach one another in a language they only knew.

"What did he just whisper?" Bonnie quietly asked Caroline. They knew Elijah was too distracted by the girl he was in love with to notice their eavesdropping. But they still tried to be unnoticeable.

Caroline shook her head. "I don't know. It's too loud in here and he said it too quietly." It was so clear that the two of them tried to be inconspicuous. But they both had an aura around them when they were together. Hayley's smile that Elijah was only able to be responsible for was now on display for everyone to see. There was such a difference in her when he was at her side. And the smile said it all. Completely oblivious to her difference, Hayley happily talked to both Rebekah and Kol. It seemed she'd become this glue that effortlessly kept together a family that was at risk of falling apart any moment.

After the moon was highly placed in the night sky, Hayley whispered into Elijah's ear during a sporadic moment of not being surrounded by others. Caroline caught her saying something about going home to be alone. But she kept it to herself, letting them have a moment to themselves. Bonnie and Elena's attention had been driven elsewhere anyway. Caroline watched Elijah put his jacket over Hayley's shoulder before they walked into the cold spring night. She smiled sadly at them, suddenly missing Tyler more than ever.

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><p><strong>I ALWAYS love hearing all of your feelings and thoughts. :)<strong>

**Review pretty pretty please with a cherry on top.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed that last chapter! The sporadic emails got me through the day! So I'm really excited about this chapter. hope you guys like it! The music is key! LISTEN TO IT!**

**Music**

**As Long As Our Hearts Are Beating - Jenny & Tyler **(elijah & hayley)

**Do You - Carina Round **(waking up)

**Fight Them Soft - Sóley **(Kol)

**The Gentle Hum of Anxiety - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross **(Shock)

**He Had A Good Time - Cliff Martinez **(Klaus & hayley)

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><p>Elijah and Hayley left the grill discreetly, leaving Rebekah and Kol to find their own entertain. They sat in the car in comfortable silence. Hayley looked out the window, a small smile stuck on her face.<p>

"Hayley, I don't think you should push Damon so far. He's dangerous." Elijah tried to sound like he was stating an opinion instead of a demand.

She sighed. "I know." Her response surprised him. "I couldn't help it! Sometimes I just say things in the heat of anger. He was being so awful towards Rebekah… he had it coming." Hayley finished angrily, crossing her arms.

Elijah smiled at her. "What?" She asked, annoyed when she noticed.

"I can't help but find you adorable when you're angry." He said honestly.

"What! That's the last thing I want to be when I'm angry!"

That only caused the smile on Elijah's face to become bigger. Hayley tried to act like she was mad but soon she was laughing. A few minutes later, they were in front of the mansion that still felt foreign to her. It was too big, feeling cold and desolate. There was no essence of home, and she was pretty sure it felt the same for Elijah and all of his siblings. With Elijah's coat still around her shoulders, she turned.

"Where's Klaus?" She wondered. Elijah didn't have to listen for his brother. He already knew that he wasn't at home. Probably finding some way to be a nuisance to Caroline.

"Not here." He answered. Hayley immediately had a mischievous grin on.

"Good." She stepped nearer to him and put her lips on his. Her hands were on either side of his face and his hands automatically went around her hips. After a few moments of their kissing, she barely pulled away.

"I wanted to do that all night." Hayley whispered to him. Elijah just stared into her eyes. She glanced up at the top of his head. Her fingers rain through his neatly styled hair. "I'm still not used to your hair."

"How long until your brothers and sister are back?" Hayley questioned.

A smile slowly formed on his lips. "Not for awhile."

Her eyes narrowed with a smirk. "Perfect." She moved away from him and grabbed his hand. Walking backwards, she pulled him toward the stairs. He raised an eyebrow at her, entertained by her tactics. But he wasn't about to let her take the lead. He sped towards her. His lips didn't rush. Slowly, they moved against hers. His hands grabbed behind her thighs, lifting her up. It was like she weighed nothing to him. Hayley made a surprised sound at the action. But then laughed and wrapped her legs around him. He rushed them to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

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><p>The window was left open since it had been so nice earlier in the day. The clashing of the cool and warm currents caused a severe wind in the night. But even in the freezing room, Hayley was sweating. Her body was restless in her sleep, having a nightmare of some sort. In her mind, she heard a distant blood-curdling scream. Her eyes flew open and her body shot up in the bed.<p>

Elijah's usual place on the bed was vacant. Hayley looked around the room, breathing heavily. The open windows were causing the sheer curtains to fly around madly. The moon was full outside and currently the only light source in the room. She got shudders at how haunting the room felt and appeared.

She jumped when she heard the scream again, but she was awake. Her hand soared over her heart, trying to calm it. So she hadn't been dreaming it; the noises of reality had somehow slipped into her nightmares. The cry brought chills across her skin. Hayley scurried out of bed to put on her clothes. Whoever was screaming didn't sound like Rebekah or anyone else she knew.

Quietly, Hayley slipped out of the room. Her bare feet made it easier to slip around the marble floors of the mansion. She heard a woman whimpering from a room downstairs. Hurrying down the steps, she listened closely to try and figure out what room the cries were coming from. Her heart was racing, and all her muscles felt shaky from fear. Finally, figuring out it was one of the dens. She tiptoed as quietly as possible to the open doorway.

When she finally reached it and was able to see inside, Hayley swore her heart stopped. Kol was holding a woman in his arms as his mouth latched onto her neck. She was crying and her entire body shook under the pain. It had only been seconds of Hayley watching, but she felt like time had slowed. The next thing she knew, Kol dropped the girl carelessly. The thump of her dead body hitting the hard floor made Hayley jump. The girl's eyes were still open and staring off in Hayley's general direction.

Hayley looked at Kol, whose eyes were blood red and veins lined underneath his lids. His fangs were out, blood dripping from them. "Kol." She whispered unintentionally. He was in a daze of hungry and only saw her as another source of blood. She gasped when he was standing centimeters from her face, his face still in its predator mode. He looked into her eyes, when suddenly something hit him.

"Hayley." Kol inhaled. His eyes immediately went back to normal. But he receded away from her and turned his head so she couldn't see his face anymore. Hayley looked back down at the body. The girl's neck was split open and her blood had trickled across the floor. It was getting closer and closer to her feet.

Hayley didn't want to be scared. She wanted to brush it off as nothing. The fact that she had surrounded herself with vampires and had yet to see a dead body was stunning. But her body was quickly going into shock. There was no controlling it. Her mind was shutting down, letting the body take over. It was impossible for her to tear her eyes away from the bleeding corpse.

She couldn't breath; she needed to get out of this room. Clumsily, her body walked backwards out of the door. Before getting to the opening, she ran into a stand holding a vase of some sort. It crashed to the ground, shattering into a hundred pieces. Hayley didn't even notice as her feet stepped around the shards.

Her body's movement was stopped by something. She didn't even turn around to see whom she'd run into. They stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the dead women's eyes. Elijah looked down at her face, concerned and scared. Hayley had to see that his lips were moving to realize that he had already called her name three times.

"Hayley! Hayley! Look at me! What happened?" His hands strongly grasped her shoulders and his head tilted down to look at her on eye level. It was like someone had turned up the volume and she was slightly awoken from her haze.

"I heard a scream…Kol…there's blood everywhere…" Hayley was barely audible to human ears as she spoke. Her words weren't even forming comprehensible sentences. Elijah turned to look into the room behind him, and finally understood what had happened without an explanation. He took her appearance in: face pale as a ghost, hands shaking, and eyes horrified.

Kol quickly walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He stared at Hayley, puzzled by her reaction. "What's wrong with her?" He asked.

Elijah's head snapped to look at him. His arms were still placed on her shoulders. "She's in shock." He growled at his brother. Hayley eye's suddenly shifted away from the door to Kol. Her feet started backing away again, from fear of just his mere presence.

"Kol, leave." Elijah heard another voice beat him to the demand. He was surprised to see Klaus glaring at Kol. The younger brother was about to say no but he looked back at Hayley. He could see her hands trembling as Elijah moved his own from her shoulder to hold them. Kol growled before speeding out of the hall.

"Just compel her already." Klaus said casually.

"No." Elijah immediately snapped. Before his brother could say anything more, he whispered soothing words into Hayley's ear. She nodded blankly. He then picked her up and slowly carried her back to their bedroom. Delicately, he laid her down on the bed. Klaus hovered in the doorway, watching everything.

Elijah got up, powerfully walking back towards the door. He looked at Klaus. "Watch her. And don't you dare compel her." He ordered. Quietly, he listened to hear where Kol was. When he marked his location, he raced after him. Kol didn't even try to defend himself as Elijah tackled and pinned him to a wall with vampire force.

"What is wrong with you?" Elijah said in his deepest voice.

"Expect me to starve, do you?" Kol retorted.

"You brought that woman here, without compulsion, fully aware that it would cause attention."

"Am I supposed to change my ways just because of her?" Kol clearly spoke of Hayley. He tried pushing his older brother off of him. But Elijah was stronger and he only slammed him back harder against the wall.

"Unlike us, most aren't accustomed to seeing innocent people murdered, then watching their corpse bleed out onto the floor." He let go of his grip around Kol's neck. "Stay away from her. You'll only make it worse." Elijah warned.

As Klaus listened to his brother's fighting, he strolled over to the side of the bed. Hayley lay on her side at the very edge, her eyes starring off. He knelt down close to her. She eyed him, questioning his motives but not having the caring enough to say anything. "Are you alright, love?" Klaus asked softly. He had his charming smile on that had been perfected over centuries.

Hayley only stared at him as her brow wrinkled. She had no intention of answering his question, seeing as it was obvious that she was anything but okay. Abruptly, a wave of chills hit her again. Klaus noticed the bumps forming on her arm and looked over at the window. The drapes were still fluttering from the wild wind. He got up from her side and closed all the windows in the room. Elijah walked back in as he closed the last one. Without a word to him, Klaus exited.

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><p><strong>This chapter was a little different...let me know what you thought.<strong>

**_Review!_**


	39. Chapter 39

**Should be studying for math...NOPE. Instead, I decided to write this. I'm a joke. Thanks for those who gave me reviews today. **

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><p>Hayley didn't sleep much for the rest of the night. Elijah had stayed up the entire time, refusing to leave her alone. Even when she continuously told him she was fine, he ignored her protests. He acted as her pillow, her head resting against his chest. The constant contact helped put her at ease. Elijah gently rubbed her back, not knowing how else to make it better.<p>

She was embarrassed by how she reacted. Her mind just kept replaying the images of the girl in her head. It was why she couldn't fall asleep. Each time her eyes closed, everything replayed over. Hayley continued to tell herself that what happened was a normal reaction for any human. Most people lived their entire lives without seeing a dead body that wasn't placed formally in a casket. Everyone in Mystic Falls was unfortunately an exception.

Hayley knew her reaction concerned Elijah. Not that he was upset with her. It just proved he should have never brought her here. This town and his family were changing her; not the way she was, but how she viewed everything around her. Hayley was aware of the effect this was having on him. She decided that she had to toughen up. In the human world, people saw her as strong and capable. But in their world, she was helpless and weak. She wouldn't allow herself to ever react that way anymore. If she didn't change, it would only make everything harder, especially when it came time to convince Elijah to turn her.

She woke up from one of her sporadic moments of sleep throughout the night. Elijah wasn't in the room. Hayley glanced over at the clock. It was barely 5:30 in the morning. It was clear, her body wasn't going back to sleep any time soon. She got up and slowly walked over to the window. The sun hadn't made its way past the horizon yet. The dawn sky was a lovely shade of lavender. Hayley turned to glance at her suitcase that sat in a corner. What she needed was to go for a run, to get out of this mansion. Nothing cleared her mind more than going running. Next thing she knew, she was throwing on her work out gear and Nike Frees. Unaware of where Elijah was, she decided to leave him a note so he wouldn't worry about her.

Hayley sprinted down the stairs, her hair up in a ponytail with a headband. Just as her hand reached the doorknob a voice stopped her movement, making her jump at the surprise.

"Going somewhere?" She looked relieved when it was Klaus and not Kol.

Her hands were casually on her hips, making her look like she was straight out of a Nike ad. "I, ugh, was about to go for a run." She raised her eyebrows, daring him to try and convince her not to go. But Klaus only watched her with that smile of his. She hated it. "Ok…Well, if you see Elijah, can you tell him where I went?" Klaus only nodded at her. Right before she closed the door, she stopped and turned back to Klaus. "Tell him I'll stay on the property."

"Well my brother seems to have tamed the untamable." Klaus smirked. Hayley completely understood what he meant and only glared at him. He wasn't worth a smart-aleck retort. She slammed the door shut behind her.

Shoving headphones into her ears, she looked around to see what direction to run in. The mansion was surrounded by forest except for the narrow parting of trees that allowed a private drive. Hayley decided on a general direction and started her jog. It was more of a run with the pace she was going at. The music from her iPod was blasting almost at its limit. The sound and runner's high mixed together was doing a good job of getting her mind off things. There was a slightly compressed trail that she was able to run on. But it also involved jumped over logs and making sure not to step on any rocks. After a few miles, she eventually hit a lake. She had no idea this was hidden inside the forest. Hayley wondered if it was still technically on Klaus' property. She stood with her hands on her head, breathing heavily to try and catch her breath. Although at heart, she was a city girl, she loved the silence nature brought. Instead of cars honking, birds chirped. Leaves rustling on the branches of trees took the place of police sirens. The beauty of the trees and lake enveloped her. It was almost like her spot back home in the suburbs.

Hayley wanted to stay here forever, but knew she couldn't outrun her problems. She allowed herself a few more minutes before heading back the direction she'd come from. She pushed her pace even faster, completely knowing that she'd be sore later.

When she recognized the last strip of trees, she knew there was only a half a mile until she was back at the mansion. Her legs broke into a sprint. A small, fallen tree lay across her path. She leaped over it effortlessly. But once her feet landed, her eyes looked up to something blocking her path. Kol stood casually in a black leather jacket, dark jeans, and boots. Hayley immediately slowed to a stop. Her breathing was ragged as it tried to keep up with her running.

Kol stood a good twenty yards away. She tried to remain calm, but just the sight of him brought up similar reactions from last night. She only stared at him; her feet didn't want to move forward.

"You're scared of me." Kol said slightly amused. She wasn't able to catch the hurt in his statement. Her thoughts were too far away to be observant.

"I'm not scared of you." She lied. Hayley took in a deep breath, and took out her headphones, letting them hang around her neck. She slowly walked forward, her hands at her hips.

"I can hear it in your heart." He said once she reached him and he started walking along side of her.

"Are you sure that doesn't have to do with the fact that I was just running?" Hayley said without looking at him. She was getting extremely annoying with people making comments about her heart. It was impossible to control and almost felt like an in invasion of privacy.

"_That_ was not running. I didn't know you were such a little athlete."

Hayley stopped and finally looked at him. Kol smiled, finally getting her to truly pay attention to him. "If you're here to apologize, can you just get it over with? I don't really want to talk to you right now." She hissed.

"I'm not going to apologize." He said instantly.

"Good, then leave me alone, because I don't want to here." Hayley said as she turned and started walking away. Kol easily caught up to her with a human stride.

"I'm not going to apologize for behaving like a real vampire, unlike your beloved Elijah." Kol quickly snapped at her.

"Yes, you need blood to survive. But that doesn't justify murdering an innocent girl. Her screaming woke me up, Kol! She was begging for her life. How can you act like nothing even happened?" Hayley's voice was getting louder and louder. She stopped walking to calm herself, looking at the ground and then into his eyes. "You murder people as if their lives me nothing. It's just all a game to you. You almost killed me too. I was just another blood bag." She whispered.

Her blue-green eyes stopped him from answering right away. Her cheeks were still slightly flushed from running in the cool air. He took in how she was looking at him. Hayley was angry right now, but underneath, she was scared of the monster that he could never control. "Hayley, I would never…" But Kol stopped himself from continuing. He refused to sound like he cared about her in any way, even if it was just as a friend. They were near the end of the forest. The mansion was visible through the trees. Hayley glared at him before making her way back toward the mansion.

Klaus watched his brother and Hayley from inside. He heard their entire conversation and watched as she stormed back toward the house. Elijah still wasn't back yet. They had noticed that Sage had disappeared once Finn died. Elijah thought it would help to get as much information about her as he could. The last thing wanted to do was leave. But it felt like they were running out time and Sage would most likely only talk to Elijah. Before he left, Rebekah reassured him that she would watch over Hayley, understanding he wouldn't want Kol or Klaus held responsible.

Klaus heard Hayley slam the door shut behind her. She was about to run up the stairs but stopped. Her eyes were looking at the room where Kol had killed the girl. Slowly, her feet walked toward it. Klaus could hear her heartbeat quicken. He was now watching her, out of her view.

Hayley finally opened the door. For some reason, she thought the corpse would still be there, her blood still covering the floor. But everything was back to normal. There was no blood to be seen and the body was gone. Even the vase she'd broken had been cleaned up. She wondered if it was Kol. But then again, she couldn't see him as being someone to clean up his own mess; it must have been someone else.

"Hoping to find something?" Klaus said behind her.

Hayley quickly turned around. She shook her head. "No…I just…" She stopped, realizing that she didn't have to explain herself to him of all people. He was just as bad as Kol. Worse from what she had heard.

Klaus looked entertained by her stuttering. "You'll get used to it." He said simply to her. The disbelief and disgust of death had passed such a long time ago for him. He understood the way she viewed it, but that didn't mean he agreed.

"Probably." She said quietly. Klaus instantly caught the lie. He saw himself in her right then. She acted like she didn't care, wanting to seem strong. He realized she was hiding herself from him, only allowing Elijah to see the true her. Klaus hoped to himself that she would never become more like him. But he knew Elijah would never allow that.

Hayley wondered why he was looking at her instead of responding to her comment. "What?" She questioned. He only shook his head. She didn't ask any more questions, only left the room. Klaus heard her go upstairs to her room and then followed by the shower being turned on.

Hayley was in her towel, rummaging through her clothes to find something to wear. She looked over to the nightstand to see what time it was. But instead of looking at the clock she noticed what had been put there. Graphite pencils and charcoal sets sat on top of a large sketchpad. She carefully walked over to get a closer look. Her fingers lightly grazed over all the new materials. It wasn't until then that she noticed how long it had been since she had drawn. She looked around, as if someone would be watching her. But the room was completely empty. There was no note, but she didn't need one to know who left them there for her.

A knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts. She was confused at who it could be. Elijah would just walk in, so would Kol. "Come in." Her request sounded more like a question because of her puzzlement.

Rebekah slowly opened the door. She gave Hayley a shy smile. "Hello." Rebekah said with her quiet voice laced in an accent. "I'm about to go shopping. I thought perhaps you'd like to come along."

Hayley couldn't help but smile. She hadn't realized the wonders her comments to Damon would do. When she said them, she had no intention on having it be the reason Rebekah approved of her.

She looked down at her towel and then up at her. "Um…shopping sounds great. Can you give me a few minutes?" Hayley asked carefully. Rebekah was now the one with a grin. She nodded before closing the door.

Hayley went to her phone and texted Elijah. "I'll try and pretend that you didn't ask Rebekah to babysit me. If you come home late, wake me up."

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><p><strong>I know there wasn't a lot of Elijah but...it kind of needed to happen. <strong>

**REVIEW PLEASE! In honor of VD coming back tomorrow! YA! DO IT! REVIEW!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Thanks for the people that reviewed last chapter :)**

**Umm...I wish I could talk forever about last night's episode of VD. But all I would say is that I fell even more in love with Kol. I was oddly turned on when he beat the shit out of Damon. Hope you guys like this chapter! :)**

**Music**

**Everywhere - Bran Van 3000 **(Rebekah)

**One October Sky - Nico Stai **(drawing)

**Vice Verses - Switchfoot **(Kol)

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><p>Hayley rushed downstairs to meet Rebekah to go on their shopping trip. She had car keys in her hand with a smile on. Just before she was about to say something to Hayley, her brother interrupted their departure.<p>

"Where are you gals off to?" Kol said charmingly. The fact that he acted as if nothing happened annoyed Hayley more than anything. He refused to believe she was upset with him. She didn't even acknowledge him after he spoke.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Shopping. And you're not invited."

Kol pressed his hand over his heart as if her comment hurt his feelings. But then he turned to Hayley, who was looking at Rebekah, still acting like he wasn't even in the same room. He looked her up and down, knowing she could see it in the corner of her vision.

"Fortunately, I don't really fancy shopping. Unless, of course, it's for lingerie and I get to watch." Kol said still looking at Hayley. He knew the only way for her to act like he actually existed was to make her even angrier at him.

Rebekah punched his arm. "Kol, you are disgusting. We're leaving now." She looked over at Hayley who was now glaring at Kol for his comment.

Once they got in the car, Rebekah looked over at her. "I apologize for Kol. He's utterly insane and immature."

"Oh I completely understand. But there's no reason for you to apologize on his behalf. He's never sorry for anything." Hayley said.

"No more talk of boys then. Shopping should be therapeutic and Kol has obviously caused some stress." Rebekah said lightly.

"Are we shopping for anything specific?" Hayley asked curiously.

"Well… there is a school dance coming up soon. The theme's 1920s." Rebekah said carefully. Inside she was actually really excited about it. Just before she was about to go to her first high school dance, Elena had stabbed her in the back…literally. This was her second chance to experience what it would feel like to really be a teenager.

"I'm sure it will all seem very lame compared to actually living in the 1920s. By the way I'm extremely jealous of you for that." Hayley laughed. But she turned out the window, really thinking about what it would've been like to live during that time. "I mean…just the authors alone. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot. And then all the music! I wish I could've heard one song of Louis Armstrong performed live." Hayley said softly. Rebekah looked over at her.

"I see it now." She said softly.

"See what?" Hayley asked confused.

"Why my brother is so in love with you." Rebekah said kindly. Hayley suddenly felt uncomfortable. She dragged a piece of hair behind her ear. Sometimes Hayley would stop and ask herself why Elijah loved her so much. To her, she was just an ordinary girl, nothing amazing about her.

"I'm just waiting for the day when he finds someone more interesting." She teased to Rebekah. The car had stopped and they were now in front of a boutique that looked fairly expensive. Rebekah turned off the car and looked at Hayley.

"If there is any concern about my brother's plans or feelings…" She stopped and looked out the windshield before continuing. "Elijah rarely cares about anyone other than his family. When he loves someone, it's not a game. He loves them with everything he has." She turned back to Hayley. "When he looks at you, it's not like the rest. He looks at you as if you're the only girl in the world. It makes me happy, seeing you with him. If anyone in our family should be allowed happiness, it's Elijah. He's better than all of us." Rebekah whispered.

Hayley sat there, listening to everything carefully. "Thanks, Rebekah. Some people just find it impossible to see themselves the way others do. I guess I'm one of them." She laughed a little at herself before turning to look at the store. "Let's get you a dress! We came to shop, let's shop."

The rest of their afternoon was filled with mindless gossiping. Despite the fact Rebekah was millennium old vampire, Hayley realized she was just a girl. She needed a friend and had been pushed around by Klaus so much that she never really had the stable life that normal girls did. Hayley could tell how excited she was for the dance. And she seemed to be excited having someone, other than her family, to be around. Other people maybe saw it as pathetic how much she wanted affection, but Hayley just found it sad how rarely she got it.

Randomly, Rebekah would throw a dress at her, forcing her to try it on. Hayley would only laugh, trying on the dress to humor her. This was good for her, doing normal things. It was a reminder that there were still normal things left in her life. Every so often, she would forget about all the supernatural problems.

"Why don't you come to the dance?" Rebekah asked a little excited.

Hayley couldn't help but chuckle at the idea. All the memories of the last high school dance she went to came back to her. She shook her head at the original. "Last time I went to a high school dance, your brother forced me to go. Even when I _was_ in high school, I hated going to them."

Rebekah grinned at her. "I forgot that he met you when you were so young."

Hayley gave her a small smile. It was over two years ago. But when she got her memory back, it felt like everything happened only yesterday. The memory of Elijah taking her to the hotel so he could have the last dance of the night replayed. Everything felt so much simpler then. But it wasn't, it all just became even crazier than the way it started. Back then; he didn't even know that his family wasn't completely lost. With the belief that they were gone, she was the only thing he loved.

That was why Hayley had been putting so much of an effort into his siblings. They changed everything. Not only did he care about her but also them. She was no longer the most important thing in his life, which didn't bother her. It only revealed that what Elijah valued and cared about was something she would too. But he didn't completely understand why she was putting forth such determination. There was no expectation from him to even like his family. He saw them all as unstable and unworthy of the efforts she was putting toward them.

"Are you planning on going with someone?" Hayley asked.

Rebekah was quiet, contemplating about it for a moment. She hadn't even thought about getting a date. Setting up the dance and getting the perfect dress was enough to occupy her. She looked over at Hayley, simply shrugging her shoulders.

"What about Matt?" Hayley said slowly. She tried to sound casual.

"Last time I invited Matt to an event, Kol tried to kill him. He would've succeeded if I hadn't stopped him. But he _did_ successfully break his hand. So, no, I don't think that would be a good idea."

"But Kol isn't going to be there! And it's not your fault he did all of those things. Come on. Matt is cute and I approve of him." Hayley said laughing.

Rebekah smiled at how resilient she was being about Matt. "I'll think about it ok?" She went into a changing room to try on a few dresses. Hayley collapsed on a couch right outside of them.

"Or…you could just compel an extremely good-looking model." Hayley joked.

By the end of their shopping trip, Rebekah had convinced herself it was necessary to buy multiple dresses. She couldn't make up her mind one which one to wear. Hayley laughed at her indecisiveness and reassured her that she would know which one was right sooner or later.

Once they got back to the mansion, Hayley got into one of her imaginative moods. The need to draw was aching inside of her. She didn't have to excuse herself from Rebekah. She was already distracted with her recent purchases. Hayley made her way up to her room, and grabbed the art supplies Klaus gave her.

She sat on the floor, her back leaning against the best post. There was no desk in the room. But she didn't really mind. Her thoughts and concerns were already pushed to the side as the artist in her took over. Hayley always got into a zone when she was drawing. Art was always therapeutic for her. A part of her believed that Klaus gave her the supplies to help her, but the other part told her not to think so kindly of the hybrid. The sounds around her became quiet and her eyes would glue to the paper in front of her. Time became irrelevant. She was known for drawing or painting throughout the entire night, unaware of it until she saw the sun rising. That was why she didn't notice when Kol came inside the room.

Dark brown boots appeared in the edge of her vision. She looked to see whom they belonged to and found Kol standing not far from her. His hands were in his jean pockets. For once, he didn't have his amused face arranged. Hayley immediately shut the sketchbook because of his presence. She stood up and walked over to the nightstand, placing everything back where she found it. But as soon as she put down the pad, Kol rushed over in a blur and picked it up. He started flipping through the drawings she had just done. When he got to the portrait of Elijah, Hayley ripped it out of his hands.

"Aren't we private." Kol said as he raised his eyebrows. His amused face immediately came back. Hayley wondered why it had been missing when he first walked into the room.

She ignored his comment. "What do you want, Kol?"

"I'm leaving for Denver. I just thought I'd say good-bye."

She narrowed her eyes, wondering why he would think she would care if he left without saying bye or not. "Are you expecting a kiss good-bye or something?" Hayley asked sadistically. Kol wasn't offended by the comment. His smile only beamed even more.

"Well, if you're offering…."

She rolled her eyes at him and started to walk to the door. If he wasn't going to leave, then she would. But he was standing in front of her, blocking her exit. His evil grin was gone and he looked at her seriously. It was the first time Hayley had ever seen him neither charming nor menacing. She didn't know what to make of it. For that second, he looked just like Elijah and it made her feel uncomfortable.

"I want you to understand that I don't apologize. I'm seldom sorry for my actions." Kol muttered. His tone was completely foreign to her. Hayley's brow creased with confusion on what he was doing. Kol looked at the ground. "You weren't meant to see anything that night…It's difficult for me to remember what it feels like to be human." He finally forced himself to look into her eyes. He hated how their color always drew him in. "I get a thrill when people fear me, but not you, Hayley. And I know you are frightened of me, even though you claim otherwise. I will never say I'm sorry. But I do want you to understand that I shall never hurt you. Remember that when you show your disgust for my nature again."

Hayley was speechless as Kol finished. She didn't know what to say to him. He still stared into her eyes. They spoke all the apologies he would never say aloud. But she wasn't connected to Kol like she was with Elijah. Therefore, all of them went unseen. Hayley could only watch as he turned and left the room.

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><p><strong>REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Please :)<strong>


	41. Chapter 41

**Thanks everyone for reviewing the last chapter. If you haven't watched the most recent episode of vampire diaries. SPOILER ALERT.**

**Music**

**Night - Bill Callahan **(Kol & Hayley)

**Light It Up - Blood Red Shoes**

**A Rat's Nest - Thom Yorke **(Kol & Damon)

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><p>Hayley sat on the bed thinking about what Kol had said to her. Why did he care if she hated him, if they couldn't be friends? After awhile, she felt like an idiot, asking herself the same questions that she would never be able to answer. She needed a distraction, absolutely anything to get her mind in an easier place.<p>

Next thing Hayley knew, she was standing in the doorway of Klaus' art room. There was no reason why she expected he would actually be there, but he was. Instead of drawing, like the first time she talked to him, he was standing. In front of him stood a large canvas, almost as big as a wall. He turned around to look at her, a paint brush in his hand.

"Thank you for the sketchpad and…everything." Hayley spoke softly. Klaus didn't say anything. He only looked back at the canvas and continued his painting. "How did you know I drew too?" She asked.

"Lucky guess." Klaus said, without looking at her.

Hayley invited herself into the room and sat down at the only table in the room. She folded her arms on the table, and hid her head, face first on top. Klaus finally paid attention to her, realizing she had no intention on leaving.

"What do you think you are doing?" He asked irritated.

"Can I please just sit here? I promise I won't talk. Just act like I'm not even here." Hayley's voice was muffled as she basically spoke into the table. Since she couldn't see Klaus, he allowed himself to show his amusement from her.

"Fine."

Her head shot up and looked at him. "Good, because I wasn't going to leave anyway." And she did what she said she would; she sat there in silence, watching him paint. After awhile though, she saw a blank sheet of paper and a pencil nearby. Without thinking, she immediately started sketching on it. When she saw an empty piece of paper, she couldn't help but draw on it. Klaus would glance over at her every once in awhile when he knew she wouldn't notice.

"Did Rebekah drive you completely mad with her shopping?" He asked her. It was his method of showing that he wouldn't ignore her if she wanted to chat. He was trying to do exactly what she'd told him he was incapable of: talking.

"No. I actually had a lot of fun." Hayley said casually as she continued to draw. But she thought of something all of the sudden, looking up at him. "Are _you_ going to the dance?" She eyed him suspiciously.

Klaus tilted his head, looking away from her. "I may make an appearance."

"I'm sure Caroline will look lovely." Hayley said with a smirk as she looked back down at the paper in front of her. She was fully aware that the subject she had just chosen was a sensitive one.

"As will Tyler, I'm sure." Klaus said in a deep voice. She immediately read everything in his words. She put down the pencil and crossed her arms as she sat back in her chair. Her expression instantly became interested.

"Do you plan on killing him and then winning Caroline's heart? Or use his sire bond and tell him to never speak to her again?" Hayley raised an eyebrow. Klaus frowned, trying hard not to cut the conversation by snapping at her. She could tell the effort he was making. "Can I just give you one piece of advice?" She asked.

"I believe you'll share it whether I say yes or no, love." His voice was short.

"If she does give you a chance, it's going to be because you won her over fair and square. No games, no threats, no murdering. The only way it's going to work is if you make her love you more than she loves Tyler."

Klaus was taken aback by her response. He turned around to stare at her. But she didn't realize the impact of her words and had gone back to her drawing. He continued to watch her, as she was completely unaware.

"And will you be dragging my brother to the dance?" He asked.

"Unlike all of the fucking weird vampires here, I'd actually like to stay out of high school. I didn't like it even when I was supposed to be there." Hayley said cynically. Klaus actually smiled at her response.

"And she loathes dances." Elijah's voice interrupted their conversation.

Klaus looked over at Hayley to see her instantly light up at his older brother. He could tell she wanted to go to him right away, but then remembered that he was there also. Klaus watched the silent interaction between the two of them. It annoyed him. Seeing other's happiness always brought out the worst in him. If he couldn't be happy, no one should be.

"Have any luck, Elijah?" Klaus asked his brother.

He broke out of his daze toward Hayley and looked at him. "No. I could not find Sage's whereabouts nor could I find anyone who has seen her since she came to Mystic Falls. It seems she has gone missing."

"Or the gal has become extremely good at hiding." Klaus rumbled.

"Where has Kol gone?" Elijah asked. Hayley's eyes shot up at the mention of the younger Mikaelson. Klaus caught it, but his brother did not. The hybrid had been closely watching the interaction between her and Kol ever since it started. Their friendship confused him. Kol seemed to like her for the qualities she possessed only on the surface. Clearly there was much more to Hayley than she allowed others to see. He was able to understand it because they were so alike in that way. Even though he saw there were things deeper inside of her, that didn't mean he knew what they were. But he understood Elijah did.

"I sent him to Denver." Klaus told his brother.

"Using Jeremy again?" Elijah replied, not hiding his disgust toward the tactic.

"Elena's brother? Is Kol going to kill him?" Hayley joined the conversation.

Klaus looked at Hayley. His evil charisma was now back. He enjoyed the reaction he saw in her when she believed Kol might possibly murder another innocent. Kol liked to push people with annoyance. But Klaus thrived off pushing the dark side of others to come out. He was training her to accept evil more and more. "Perhaps. I overheard that Damon and Elena are making a trip to see him. I sent Kol to investigate, seeing as Jeremy believes he is human and also his friend." Klaus then changed his attention toward Elijah as he continued talking. "Stefan has Alaric locked up. I've been too tolerant with them. It's time to intervene."

Elijah only watched his younger brother for a moment before turning his attention back to Hayley. He hadn't seen her all day and was worried what he would come home to. But she had forced herself to get over last nights events. Appearing weak would only cause him more pain, she knew more than anyone. Hayley got up from her seat and finally went to his side.

Elijah whispered something about going to bed, trying hard to say it softly enough so his brother couldn't overhear. But it was extremely hard for him to be that quiet and have Hayley still able to catch it. He could tell she was tired since she couldn't go to sleep at all last night. He lightly traced the light shadows under her eyes. She whispered something back about waiting for him to get back. Neither of them addressed Klaus as they left the room. After he heard them go up to their room, he walked over to the drawing Hayley had been working on. She'd left it on the table. It was a sketch of Klaus. He didn't realize she had been drawing him.

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><p>Klaus had just got back from the Salvatore house. He was completely unaware of the information that Stefan had told him. With any original that was killed, every vampire that descended from them would also die. Klaus grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialed Kol's number.<p>

"What?" Kol growled into the phone after the first ring.

"Damon and Elena are trying to find what vampire line the Salvatore brothers have descended from. Do you remember Mary Porter?" Klaus asked.

Kol didn't need him to explain why they needed to find what original they were created from. He was smart; he figured it out right away. "Scary Mary." Kol declared with a little hilarity in his voice.

"She's in Kansas. Kill her." Klaus commanded.

"It's done."

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><p>Murdering vampires, especially ones that were obsessed with you, was easy. Kol barely had to turn in his charm to get to her. But the whole scheme bored him. He killed Mary quickly. She hardly had a chance to even put up a fight. Now all he had to do was wait for Damon to find her. It didn't take long for them to find her. He could hear Elena's heart speeding against her chest; he could practically smell her fear. They finally walked into the same room; oblivious that he was waiting in the corner. Kol turned on the light, causing them to whip around.<p>

"Shame about Mary. She used to be a blast. I don't quite know what happened. I feel the time she spent with my family might have ruined her." Kol said as he casually looked at vampire's corpse.

"Well at least everyone knows what's in store for Hayley." Damon glared.

Kol's mood shifted in an instant at the mentioning of her. His grip on the aluminum bat tightened. But he forced himself to keep calm. "She was a bit of an original groupie."

"And were you her favorite?" Elena questioned. She tried to act brave but it didn't fool Kol. She was scared of him. And he fed off of it.

"You mean did I turn her? I think I did! But no wait maybe it was Rebekah. There was also a Klaus period. And let's not forget the Elijah affair." He watched Damon's frustration gradually begin to appear. "I spoke to my brother. I know you're trying to find out who you descended from. Now you never will." Kol gave Mary one last glance before turning back to Damon.

"So, where did we leave off?" He said to the two of them. Before they realized what was about to happen. He had already beaten the bat into Damon's knee and elbow. He enjoyed every hit on him.

"Elena, get out of here!" Damon winced and spoke through the pain.

But Kol was already standing in the doorway, blocked her exit. "According to my brother, you're off limits. Please, don't test me." He said through his dark eyes as he shoved her against the bed. Her head slammed into an edge of bed frame.

The gasp of pain she let out ignited something in Damon. He grabbed Kol's throat in anger. "Don't touch her." Damon hissed. He only made the game more interesting. Kol slammed his head against his.

"Oh dear, I've hit a nerve." He laughed at the younger vampire. "Relax, darling. I just want us to be even. You snapped my neck, you killed my brother, and then you humiliated me." He slammed the bat down on his spine multiple times. Damon was paralyzed with pain. Slowly, Kol walked over to him and kneeled down next to his broken body. His forearm rested casually on his knee.

"And let's not forget your obsession with terrorizing Hayley." He said softly to Damon. At vampire speed, he stood up and nailed the bat into his spine once again. It caused a painful groin from him that put a smile on Kol's face.

"Oh dear, I've hit a nerve." Damon was still able to mock him under all the pain. "It seems someone has a soft spot for his brother's girl. Welcome to the club." Elena was unable to hear anything they were saying.

Kol's smile broke. He raised the bat and slated it against Damon's head, rendering him unconscious. "There. Now we're even." He glared at Elena before he sped out of the room.

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><p><strong>Since I thoroughly enjoyed Kol beating the shit out of Damon in the last episode, I HAD TO INCLUDE IT. LOL.<strong>

**Review Please :)**


	42. Chapter 42

**1) I'm sorry that this chapter is so short! I promise I'll make it up to you guys.**

**2) I have a big psych exam this week and then finals all next week so I don't know how long it will take to update. Or how frequent. So I'm apologizing in advance.**

**Thanks for the reviews! Keep em coming!**

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><p>Elijah and Hayley were finally alone in their bedroom. It seemed like these moments were so rare now. She was starting to think that coming to Mystic Falls so quickly after they were reunited wasn't such a good idea. They didn't feel like the same people that they had been when they first met. And when they threw in all the people of Mystic Falls, everything felt even more off. Hayley started thinking about all the time alone back in Chicago, just the two of them being themselves. She sat on the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees. She was only wearing an oversize t-shirt and her underwear as she watched Elijah taking off his tie and suit in the walk-in closet. Even though her eyes fell on him, her thoughts were elsewhere.<p>

Elijah glanced over at her as he unbuttoned his shirt. He could tell she was deep in thought. Once he was out of his suit, he slowly walked over to her on the bed. He eyed her until she noticed. After a minute or two, she finally looked up at him. She moved further back on the bed and under the covers. Elijah lay down beside her, continuing to watch her. Hayley was staring at the top of the bed's canopy. He couldn't take her silence any longer.

"What is troubling you?" He said softly to her.

She slowly turned to him, resting on her side. "What?"

"You have hardly spoken a word since I came home. I can see something is on your mind." One of his hands was behind his head as he lay on his back facing her. The stance was so casual for him and one that only she was allowed to see. Hayley looked him deeply in the eyes, wondering if she really wanted to bring up what she was thinking about.

She breathed in deeply before she started. "I was just thinking about when we were back home." Hayley spoke of her home as if it was his too. But it was more of a home to him than anywhere he'd ever been. He had his own life with her when he was in Chicago. His siblings didn't run him and all of his actions. "I kind of miss how we were back then. I feel like everything has changed. We're thrown into all of this craziness and I'm scared it's going to come between us." She moved over to him and laid her head on his shoulders, sighing.

Elijah put his arm around her. He knew what she meant. They hardly saw each other and when they did, his siblings were constantly surrounding them, watching them. But Elijah didn't trust her around Klaus or Kol alone. They were a bad influence on her and a danger. Rebekah valued her and Hayley's recent friendship too much to cause her any harm. But despite his family, there seemed to be something missing between them. Both of them noticed, but neither could figure out exactly what it was.

"I'm not going to allow anything to come between us, Hayley." He whispered to her. He could feel her head softly nodding on his shoulder.

"It just seems like I'm constantly waiting for something bad to happen. Is it selfish to wish that we could just get away from all of this? We'd start over some place where no one could find us." Her mind immediately drifted into a nonexistent dwelling that she wished for. For some reason, her imagination formed a small chateau somewhere in the French country. It felt like somewhere Elijah would take her. They would be away from all the danger that lingered in Mystic Falls. The constant threat of Elijah being killed would disappear.

"Nothing bad is going to happen." He soothed her. "And it's not selfish to wish that…I long for it too. But I hold a responsibility to make sure my family is safe." He hesitated. "I sense bringing you here was a mistake."

"No, it wasn't a mistake. It just doesn't feel right because it's change. And I would never blame you for it. I understand what your family means to you."

There was moment of silence before Elijah changed the subject.

"What were you saying to my brother before I intruded?" He asked carefully.

"I was trying to give him advice about Caroline. But I think it fell on silent ears. Klaus will never listen to anyone but himself." She exhaled deeply. Hayley didn't understand why she felt the need to help Klaus, why she wanted to see him happy. Maybe, since they were so similar, she thought if she found happiness than he could too. If the rolls were reversed, Hayley hoped someone would be kind enough to try and help her too

"You mustn't be so hard on yourself. My brother is too stubborn and proud to take whatever advice you gave him. Why do you push him and Caroline so much?" Elijah asked with honest curiosity.

"Have you ever seen the way he looks at her?" Hayley watched him. But he didn't respond, clearly he hadn't. "It might be the first time he's actually cared about someone other than his family. When I see him looking at her… I see hope. Maybe he's not completely lost to the darkness."

Elijah glared upward. "Why do you care if he's lost or not? He's done nothing for you that would substantiate your support." But just as he said that, the sketchpad and pencils on the nightstand caught his eye. He underestimated his hybrid brother's ability to show some emotion other than rage.

"Because if you hadn't found me, I think I would have become more like him than I want to admit." Hayley's eyes looked distant suddenly. She was picturing how her life would have turned out if she'd never met Elijah. Without being able to help it, her entire body got chills. What type of people would both of them be now if they hadn't found one another? Would Elijah's family have turned him into monster, losing all his honesty and morals? And would Hayley have become forever broken, harming others just so they couldn't even come close to her?

"Hayley, you could never be like Niklaus. It's impossible." Elijah declared. He refused to consider that she could ever become as evil as his brother. Then he wondered if him and her humanity were the only two things that had prevented that from happening. Nothing he said would convince her that she didn't have such a dark potential.

Hayley's mind wouldn't rest tonight. Her thoughts kept shifting from one thing to another. "Were you the one that got rid of the body?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She didn't need to elaborate; Elijah knew what she spoke of.

"Yes." He said after a few seconds.

"Where did you bury her?" He noticed right away that Hayley said 'she' instead of 'it'. The girl had looked at her, right before death consumed her. Just the gaze alone made Hayley feel some kind of responsibility and guilt. She just stood there, watching as Kol killed someone right in front of her. There was nothing she would have been able to do anyway. She was just there one second, then dead on the floor the next. All Hayley could do was stand and watch in horror.

"I don't want for you to think about it." Elijah brushed off her question.

"Stop coddling me and answer the question." She said harshly.

"In the forest, right off of Niklaus' property." He finally said after trying to avoid it by filling the air with silence.

Hayley just nodded her head silently. That was all she needed to know. Knowing that the innocent victim was resting somewhere, gave her a tiny bit of relief. Her body started to wind down. She never slept as well as when she was in Elijah's arms. As if it were possible, she moved even closer to him, her hand resting on his abs. Her eyelids became heavy. Sleep was rushing onto her faster than she was prepared for. Elijah could instantly tell when she was deep in a slumber. Her body would be completely melted onto his and he could feel her steady breathing against his chest.

"I love you, Hayley." He said softly, knowing she was to deep in her sleep to hear. If all of this were a test to their love, he would do everything to fight it. There had been too much pain to give up so easily. And wouldn't let her give in. This was still the beginning for them. If they couldn't get through this, then they wouldn't be able to get through anything.

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><p><strong>Review pleaseeeeeeeeeee.<strong>


	43. Chapter 43

**So I got a review that the story was getting boring. And I already knew I was writing this chapter...so I just kind of laughed and told myself I sucked. LOL. Thanks for the reviews anyway? LOL. I told you guys I would make up for how short the last chapter was.**

**Music  
><strong>

**Safe Travels (Don't Die)- Lisa Hannigan **(Elijah & Hayley)

**Candles - Daughter**

**They're All Dead - Beetroot **(Forest)

**Pretty Face - Sóley **(Kol)

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><p>After spending a small amount of time alone, Elijah had to leave again with Rebekah and Klaus. They went back to see Alaric, who they hoped was no longer himself. Elijah didn't have to necessarily go but he didn't trust either of his siblings not to kill someone before they got what they wanted. Klaus had clever and dark tactics. But sometimes he took it too far and ended up causing a bigger problem.<p>

Elijah regretted leaving Hayley alone in the house by herself. Kol had yet to come back from Denver. He would eventually, seeing as Elena probably didn't see the point in keeping Jeremy there. No matter where she sent him, he would always be found. He was just as safe in Mystic Falls as he would be anywhere in the world at this point.

Hayley sat up in bed, watching Elijah get ready for the day. Her short hair was messed up from just waking up. She sat with the covers wrapped around her body. Without him in the bed with her, it felt unnaturally cold. He looked over at her once he was dressed. As he leaned against the closet opening, she smiled at him.

"Will you stop giving me that apologetic look?" Hayley laughed.

"I only worry about you being here alone." Elijah stated simply.

"I will be fine! Let's be honest. If you left me here with Kol, I'd be more likely to get into trouble than if I was alone." She smiled, trying to make him feel better. "I'm fully capable of entertaining myself for the day. What do you think I was doing for the past two years?" Hayley immediately regretted saying the last part as she watched the hurt in his face. "I didn't mean it like that, Elijah." She whispered softly. He nodded his head in understanding, trying to brush it off. And the remorseful moment was over before it really began.

"I don't want to suggest any boundaries. I know better than to tempt you that way. Perhaps I should use reverse psychology and tell you to do all of the things you shouldn't." Elijah teased her and he slowly sauntered over to the edge of the bed.

"Ha-ha, very funny." Hayley rolled her eyes. "I don't plan on making any appearances at the grill tonight, even with Damon probably still being out of town. With his level of annoyance, I'm sure he could still find a way to be aggravating out of state limits. But I've had my share of run-ins. I think I'll stay here, thank you very much."

Right when she was finished, Elijah leaned down to kiss her. "It would be dishonest to deny that I enjoyed the idea of your plan." His comment caused a smile from her. With her hands on either side of his face, she kissed him again.

"You know what, I think you should just stay here with me. " Hayley smiled as she started kissing him again. She tried hard to persuade him not to leave. Yes, she was able to distract herself when alone but that didn't mean she preferred it. If she had her way, he would be included.

"Stop tempting me." Elijah said in between her kisses.

"What if I told you I would get into loads of trouble if you didn't stay in this bed with me?" Hayley dared. She was sitting on the edge of the bed now, her feet sitting on the floor. Elijah was close to her as he continued to lean down to kiss her.

"That would be very cruel." He replied truthfully.

As she toyed with his tie, her smile gradually faded. Looking up to him seriously, she softly shook her head. "I won't do that. I promise I'll stay here." Hayley responded softly. But she also meant it. He had enough to worry about with his family; there was no need to add her to the mix.

Elijah tilted his head slightly. "You make it sound as if I'm holding you captive."

She just shook her head and kissed him one more time. It wasn't short or casual; she made sure of that. A part her thought if he could sense everything she was feeling through their kiss, he could come home faster. Little did Hayley know: it was unnecessary. Elijah would always come back to her as fast as possible.

After a few minutes, she finally pulled away. "Go. Klaus and Rebekah are probably waiting for you downstairs." She attempted to push him away with her hands.

In reality, her human strength would never allow a force great enough to move him an inch. But Elijah humored her and backed away with a laughing smirk. "I shall see you later." He said softly to her. She nodded with a small smile as she watched him leave the room.

After a few minutes, she could hear that they departed. The whole day was left to her to do whatever she wanted…as long as it could be done on the land of the mansion. Hayley had meant what she said to Elijah. She wasn't about to lie to him.

She tried to go back to sleep for a few minutes. But it was hopeless. With Elijah gone, it was basically an impossible feat. Sighing, Hayley got up and decided to take a hot shower instead. When that was all done with, she made a point to take her time getting ready. After that, she bounded down the stairs to the kitchen. It was human territory. Elijah and his family were rarely in this room since they preferred blood as their diet. Klaus liked to act as if he was sophisticated enough to act like he ate food. But it didn't fool her. It was obvious he survived mostly on blood. But it was good that he believed that, otherwise there would be anything for her to ever eat. Somehow there was always new and fresh food mysteriously added every other day or so. She suspected he compelled some poor person to make sure of that.

First things first, Hayley made a much-needed pot of coffee. She ruffled through the cabinets, grabbing any food that seemed appealing. When Elijah had first met her, she was living off of ramen noodles and anything else that could be made instantly. Not much had changed over the years. She managed to master breakfast foods such as eggs, pancakes, and waffles. But the mastery of the other equally important meals was untouched.

Once she miraculously made something to eat, her body was drawn to Klaus' art room. She always felt bad, snooping around. If it were Klaus going around her artwork, she would be bothered by it. But the only table in the room was cleaner than usual, which caused her attention to fall onto a sheet a paper left on the table.

_Use anything you wish._

_-Klaus_

Hayley looked up after reading it with a smile. She looked around at all the supplies he had scattered in the room. Any medium was possible. She picked up a set of paints and found a blank canvas sitting. Her mind went off into the distance and her hand moved with some silent instruction from a source even she could not explain. Time was lost to her once again. When hours had passed unnoticed, Hayley finally stepped back and looked at what she'd painted. Sometimes she never really knew what she had been painting until she stopped and took a step back. Two eyes looked back at her from the canvas. They were clearly her eyes; their color couldn't be recognized as belonging to anyone but herself. But the thing that caught her attention was what surrounded her eyes. Around the edges of them, dark smoke of red, grey, and black lingered. It almost looked like it was waiting for something.

Hayley shook her head and decided to go out onto the back patio for some fresh air. She was surprised when she saw that the sun was already starting to move closer to the horizon. Dawn and dusk were the best times to take pictures, in her opinion. She loved the lighting. The confusion from her painting made her want to grab her camera. Next thing Hayley knew, she was walking into the forest to take pictures once again. When she had taken photographs with Elijah, he distracted her too much to really get what she wanted. A sudden thought of the lake she ran too popped in her head. Determined she made her way back there, hoping she could remember how to get back. It took longer with her walking instead of her usual run. Plus, there were the constant halts to take pictures.

After she got there and believed she took enough pictures, the sun was almost below the skyline. Hayley wasn't alarmed by the darkness that had quickly descended onto her. This was Klaus' property and there wouldn't be anyone but her and some animals. She just hoped she'd be able to find her way back with the surroundings being turned obscure. She put away her camera into the backpack she brought with her. There was no point in having it out anymore. It was impossible to take any pictures at night.

Her feet didn't seem loud to her human ears, but every footstep onto leaves and fallen twigs was a warning to the entire forest of her presence. Hayley was still a mile or two away from the mansion when she heard something in the distance. She tried to reassure herself that it was probably just an animal of some sort. They had more around her than back in the suburbs of Chicago. But she had the feeling someone was watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck instinctively rose. Hayley was thankful she decided to wear converse instead of boots today. Not that her talent of running was ever able to save her. Feeling ridiculous, she grabbed a decent size of a branch. Maybe she was being dramatic and overthinking the situation.

Either way, she put a hand on either side of branch and snapped it over her thigh. Both sides broke with a fairly sharp point to them. Hayley had enough of feeling like the damsel in distress. She needed to fight. Both branches were held strongly in her hand. Her ears abruptly picked up a sound not that faraway. Someone was walking toward her. But her eyes couldn't pick up anything with the nightfall.

"Elijah?" She questioned quietly. If it were him, he would've made himself known awhile ago. "Kol, if you're trying to scare me, it's not funny." Before she could yell some other ridiculous thing into the forest, a guy stepped out between two trees. Hayley had never seen him before. But at the moment, she would rather have it be Damon Salvatore than a stranger.

"Hello." He said to her as if it was completely normal running into strangers in a forest.

"Who are you?" She asked cautiously. Her hands held onto her impromptu stakes.

"Mike."

"What are you doing in the forest? This is private property." She narrowed her eyes.

"I guess you could say I'm a friend of Klaus." Mike shrugged his shoulders.

It all clicked to Hayley. "You're one of his hybrids, aren't you?" But he only smiled at her, answering the question without realizing it. Her mind started flipping through plans that could allow her to leave without tempting him. She refused to drop the stakes even though they sat so obviously in her hands for him to see.

"I guess I'll see you later. " Hayley tried to sound casual as she gave him a nod and continued walking. She only made it half a dozen steps before he had moved only a few feet in front of her. Her body struggled to keep her breathing calm.

"I can't just let a pretty girl that's all alone walk away." Mike said dismally.

"I don't think Klaus would be very happy if you killed me." She responded.

"Well, he never said anything about you to us. I was looking for someone to eat anyway. I can't allow such a perfect opportunity to pass." He raised an eyebrow.

Hayley quickly thought of a plan and went through with it before she could change her mind. He expected her to freeze in fear. That was the only reason her actions were somewhat successful. She lunged forward, stabbing one of the stakes right into his heart. Mike's face was full of pain and surprise as he looked down at the wood sticking out of his chest. Hayley stared at it too, almost just as shocked as him that she was able to do it.

But her victory was shortly lived when a smile formed on his lips. "See… that would have killed me, if I was just a vampire. But I'm a hybrid honey, a stake can't kill me." Hayley started backing away before she flew into a sprint. It was useless as always. He caught up to her in a second, grabbing her by the head and pushing her to the ground. The force threw her at a speed she couldn't prepare for. Her arms weren't able to catch herself before hitting the ground. Mike had thrown her toward a fallen tree. Hayley's head slammed into the hard surface. A white flash spread across her vision at the impact. A ringing in her ears stopped her from being able to hear anything around her. Mike was at her side, roughly grabbing her jacket and lifting her off the ground. His eyes had turned black but his irises glowed a terrifying yellow. Hayley tried to grip at his hands to drop her but it was hopeless. No one was going to save her. This was how she was going to die. His mouth ripped into her throat. Hayley tried, with everything she had, not to scream out in pain. But Mike was only able to drink her blood for a few seconds before he dropped her.

Hayley looked up to see what had happened. But her vision was blurry. Things kept doubling and crossing over. The loss of blood added with her head trauma made it hard to focus on the images only a few feet in front of her. She managed to cup her hand over her neck that was openly bleeding. The ringing, still in her ears, caused all the noises around to be ignored.

Mike was now being held off the ground in the same manner as he just had Hayley. Kol glared into the hybrid's eyes. "You hybrids think you're so special, don't you? The first of your kind doesn't give you claim on anything that walks in your path." Kol looked down at the stake that was still protruding out of his heart. With one hand, he twisted it, causing Mike to yell in pain.

"Killing me will only make Klaus angry." He gasped to the original.

Kol tilted his head to the side. "I'm pretty sure I don't care." He released his victim to the ground and in one fluid motion, sliced off his head with one hand.

Once he stared at the dead body for a few seconds, he moved his attention to Hayley. Her eyelids were struggling to stay open and she sat with her hand covered in blood as it tried to cover her wound. Kol walked over to her carefully, kneeling to look at her on eyelevel.

Her eyes tried to focus on the person opposite of her. "Elijah?" Hayley whispered. Her brain couldn't keep up. In her distorted vision, their physical similarities only confused her more.

"Kol." He corrected her softly. She only shook her head and then proceeded to try and get up from her sitting position. But the movement was too fast and she immediately lost her balance. Kol was there in half a second, his arms on her shoulders to hold her up.

"Hayley look at me." Kol softly commanded. She managed to turn her gaze at him. "I believe you have a concussion." Hayley shook her head, too proud to admit she was injured. Kol sighed at her. He looked over at her bloody hand that was covering the bite. He took of his leather jacket and then his t-shirt that was underneath. Hayley was too delirious to question anything he was doing. Kol folded the t-shirt. "Move your hand and hold this against your neck." He instructed. She nodded and did as she was told. Then he placed his jacket around her shoulders.

In her mental state, she didn't even notice he was shirtless. Her mind couldn't comprehend anything that was happening. Kol lifted her up in his arms. One of her own impulsively went around his neck while the other put pressure on her neck with his shirt. Her head rested against his bare chest and her eyelids started to close.

"Hey, hey, hey." Kol shook her softly. Hayley's eyes opened. "Don't fall asleep."

"I can't help it. I'm tired." She whispered. For the first time, she noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt. Her body lay against his muscular body. Did all of them have bodies that belonged on _Men's Health_? This wasn't the first time one of the Mikaelson's held her in their arms like this. But Elijah's touch was so much different than Kol's. The elder brother had a soft graze and was always so careful with her. Kol, on the other hand, was rougher. But Hayley was still stunned by how gentle he had just been with her. She didn't think he was capable of being anything but dangerous and suspiciously charming.

"How did you find me?" She asked.

"Lucky for you, I happened to be in the woods." Kol replied smoothly. Hayley wasn't together enough to realize that his explanation didn't make sense.

"I think the more important question is what were you doing in the woods at night all alone?" He knew he had to keep her awake, so he continued to talk.

"Taking pictures." She muttered. Kol noticed that she didn't have her camera. He made a mental note to come back and get it. "I think I'm gonna die." She added.

He couldn't help but laugh at her delirious comment. "Hayley, you're not going to die." But she shook her head to show she completely disagreed.

She looked down at his chest. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why don't you have a shirt on?" Kol raised his eyebrows at her, wondering if that was a serious question. He underestimated how out of it she had become.

"It's in your hand, darling." He noted. The smell of her blood filled his nose. If he wasn't a thousand years old, his control might have been questionable in the situation.

"Elijah is going to be so mad at me. Don't call him." She ordered. But Kol had no intention of calling his older brother. He would be home soon enough and he had business to take care of. His family was extremely close to locating the last weapon that could kill them. But deep inside, he knew he wouldn't call him because he wanted to help Hayley on his own. Besides, Kol found her delusions and thoughtless statements entertaining.

They had finally reached the house, walking at human speed because he worried going any faster would worsen her concussion. He brought her to Elijah's room, carefully placing her on the bed. Kol carefully moved her hand and his shirt away from her neck. The bleeding had mostly stopped. Teeth indents were clearly seen. Kol brought his wrist to his mouth, biting into it. The action seemed to jolt something in Hayley. "What are you doing?" Her voice was filled with panic.

"The cut is deep and you clearly have a severe concussion." Kol stated simply.

"No." He moved his wrist toward her but she pushed it away as she shook her head.

Her refusal irritated him. "Fine, then I'll take you to the hospital."

"No, they'll contact my parents or worse, my sister." She informed.

"Then stop being a fool and drink the blood." He glared. They were both extremely stubborn people. Neither of them would win without a fight. Just after he had spoke, Hayley squinted and placed her palm against her forehead. Along with the dizziness and bewilderment, her head was now facing a painful migraine. Kol tilted his head and looked at her, proving even more that she should drink his blood.

Hayley scowled. "If that's the only option…call Elijah."

"You're being ridiculous and stubborn. You'll really only drink his blood?"

She didn't respond to his condescending question. Her hands were over her eyes. Every bit of light hurt her head. And Kol trying to convince her to drink his blood was only making everything worse. After a few moments, she moved her hands to stare at him. Carefully, she reached for her his wrist. He didn't move as he carefully watched her. Hayley stared at the blood slowly flowing from his wrist. She slowly moved it to her mouth, drinking as little as possible. She let go of his wrist, refusing to look at Kol.

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><p><strong>Tell me your deepest thoughts! LOL. Review? Please? <strong>


	44. Chapter 44

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I'm sleep deprived...idk why I'm still up. I have issues. Anyways blahhhh.**

**Music  
><strong>

**Lua - Bright Eyes **(Kol)

**Home - Daughter **

**Arms of a Woman - Amos Lee **(Elijah)

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><p>Once Hayley drank Kol's blood, her body put her into a sleeping coma. It was its way of repairing itself. Kol only left the room to put another shirt on. Not that he minded being shirtless, he just saw it as common courtesy. He pulled a chair up to the side of the bed, watching over Hayley's sleeping form. The gash in her neck was gradually closing up. Dried blood still lingered across her skin and stained her clothes. With her sleeping state, Kol allowed himself to look at her in a way he would never allow when she was aware.<p>

He had never seen her in such a peaceful state. Her features were so calm, despite the ordeal she'd been through earlier. Kol suspected she only allowed his brother to see her in such a manner. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her lips an unnatural dark pink. Her red-blonde hair fell around her shoulders in a half-hazard way but still looked perfect anyway. When her eyes closed, her dark lashed seemed even longer and fuller. Kol always thought his older brother kept her to himself, relentlessly overprotective and possessive. But he realized it was the other way around. Hayley only allowed everyone, besides Elijah, to see certain sides of her. She didn't trust people, but she wished for others to trust her, such as Kol, Klaus, and Rebekah. It all seemed very hypocritical to Kol.

Hayley tossed a little in her sleep. Her faced changed as if it were in pain. Kol became worried for a second before he understood she was only dreaming. "Elijah." She cried so quietly that without his vampire senses, he wouldn't have been able to hear it. He sighed as he sat back in the chair.

A few minutes later, Hayley's eyes shot open. She shot up in bed, clearly being woken up by a nightmare of some sort. Her eyes searched around the room, expecting to find reality to be filled with the images of her nightmares. Once she was fully awake and realized it was only a dream, her breathing calmed.

Kol watched her with a small grin. He hid every sign that showed her cared for her in any way. The kindness that slipped out when he first found her would be muddled by her minds consciousness. She wouldn't be able to justify that he was actually worried about her safety or cared that she lived.

Hayley's eyes finally fell onto his. "You're still here." She pointed out.

"I had to make sure you didn't get blood all over the place. I'm sure Klaus spent a fortune on those sheets." He said casually. His arms were crossed and he gave her a warning look as if his reasoning was true. Hayley's stare turned into a glare. Her fingertips massaged her temples as her eyes peered in discomfort.

"Headache?" Kol asked. But she was too proud to admit it. Her head only shook no. She watched him closely, honestly wondering why he felt the need to stay and watch over her as she slept.

"Kol?" Hayley questioned. His only response was the raising of his eyebrows. "You saved my life." She meant it as a statement but it came out as a question. A part of her needed reassurance he actually did what she believed. Kol squinted at her mockingly, wondering what she was trying to say or ask.

"Why? What did it matter to you if I lived or died?" Hayley asked as she looked down at the blankets in front of her. She didn't want to look him in the eyes, scared to see heartlessness staring back at her.

"Well, if you died, I'd have to find a new play thing. Plus, Elijah would just be a total mess. We'd most likely have a suicidal vampire on our hands. And really, what fun is there in that? You dying…the whole thing would be quite irritating." Kol shrugged his shoulders, trying to prove his point further.

Hayley just stared at him, disgusted with his words. "You're such an ass." Her response only put a beaming smile on the vampire's lips. Silence filled the room. "Are you even capable of feeling emotion? Do you care about anything?" She challenged with slight repulsion in her tone.

"What would be the point in that?" Kol immediately answered. He shook his slightly and made a revolted look. "Caring…it all seems so exhausting and pathetic."

Hayley shook her head at how ridiculous he was being. "I don't know why I put up with you, Kol. The only person you care about is yourself. It's not pathetic to care about things. What's the point of going through life?"

"Technically, I'm not going through life…I'm going through death. You see, I am a vampire, I was killed a long time ago." Kol smirked with his hands thrown up in an innocent way. She just rolled her eyes at him. "You have a very peculiar way of thanking me for saving your life." He pointed out.

Hayley suddenly became thoughtful. There was no way she would've lived if it weren't for Kol. She owed him. But when think of a way to repay him, her mind came up blank. What did Kol want? As they just discussed, he didn't care about anything or anyone. Well, he cared about his family but he rejected to acknowledge that. She breathed in to actually thank him for what he brought up. But right before she was able to speak, the rest of the original family came home. Her human ears didn't pick up their entrance back into the mansion, but Kol did.

"Your lover's home." Kol announced, fully aware that she was about to thank him for saving her life. He still slouched in the chair by her bed, his arms crossed. He listened to the steps as Elijah got closer and closer to the room. The door opened and Kol watched as his brother took in Hayley's appearance. A second later Elijah's eyes switched to him, glaring.

"What happened?" His voice was angry and only aimed toward Kol. It was obvious he believed Kol was single handedly responsible for Hayley's condition. Elijah walked over to her side, getting a closer look. Moving too fast for human eyes, he speedily grabbed Kol by the throat. "What did you do?" His voice was so level that it was scarier than if he raised it. The unusual lack of composure startled Hayley. His actions also got Klaus and Rebekah's attention from downstairs. They now calmly stood in the doorway, taking in the scene.

"Elijah, stop!" Hayley yelled. "It wasn't him! It was one of Klaus' hybrids. Kol is the only reason I'm alive right now. If it weren't for him, I would've died." Her panicked voice caught Elijah's attention. Looking at her, he slowly let go of his younger brother. Klaus' attention grew at the mentioning of his hybrids. He quickly left the room without a word.

"Where's the hybrid?" Elijah asked her slowly.

"Dead." Kol snarled. Hayley looked at him. Her eyes warned him to leave the room. She needed to be alone with Elijah. Kol was only making the situation more hostile. The younger original looked between the two before leaving the room, taking Rebekah with him.

Once his siblings were gone, Elijah moved closer to Hayley. He sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes were filled with concern when he saw all the blood that was on her clothes and stained her skin. "What happened?" He asked again but softly this time since he was only talking to her now.

"I was walking back from taking pictures in the forest. And I came across one of Klaus' hybrids." She stopped, not wanting to make him angry. But when she looked up, Elijah was giving her a stern look to continue. "He attacked me and drank my blood. But Kol stopped him before it was too late. He brought me back here." She could tell he was getting worked up. Elijah wasn't used to being out of control. He hated himself for not being at her side to stop it. Knowing someone else was there for her instead of him was a weight he couldn't describe.

Hayley gently grabbed his hand with her own that wasn't covered in dried blood. "Kol saved my life. I had a concussion and my neck wouldn't stop bleeding. " She grasped that she was getting to the part where Kol gave her his blood. Her voice stopped, not wanting to continue.

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What?"

She shifted uneasily in the bed. "I drank Kol's blood. I couldn't go to the hospital. I didn't really have much of a choice." She watched his reaction closely. "Are you upset with me?" Her voice was quiet; scared of the answer he would give.

"No, Hayley. How could I be upset with you? It saved your life." Elijah spoke honestly to her. But it was just another reason for him to be upset with himself for not being the one to do it instead. He felt as if he'd let her down. Hayley embraced him, relieved at his words. He was forever indebted to his brother. Without Kol, he wouldn't be holding Hayley in his arms.

"I should shower. All this blood is probably driving you crazy." Hayley noticed as her chin rested on his shoulder. Elijah slightly pulled away to look at her. He only shook his head at how absurd her comment was. She smiled at him and moved her lips to place on his. But she cut the kiss short, fully pulling away from him. "I'm covered in blood, twigs, and dirt. Will you please let me take a shower?" Hayley laughed at having to ask him. Eventually, he nodded his head.

Elijah waited for her to go into the bathroom before he left the room. He found Kol drinking in the den downstairs while Klaus drew as he sat in a chair. Rebekah was nowhere to be found. Kol looked at him, daring him to say something. He put his glass down, crossing his arms, and leaning against a table.

"Thank you…for saving her life. I will never understand what caused you to do so. But I'm in your debt." Elijah said softly to younger brother. Klaus watched the two of them, barely interested.

"I didn't do it for you." Kol hissed, taking a sip of his drink.

"Why did you do it then?" Elijah challenged him. He was also honestly curious as to what caused him to perform such a serious action. Yes, Kol was amused by Hayley and used her to entertain himself. But that didn't justify saving her life when he could have stepped aside and let it happen.

"I felt like killing something. It was either Hayley or the hybrid. The hybrid was more of a challenge…therefore, more fun. Though she did manage to stake the hybrid straight in the heart. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed." Kol spoke so lightly even when mentioning possibly killing Hayley. Elijah's jaw clenched. He was too poised to retaliate against his brother's words. They were obviously said to get a rise out of him, and Elijah wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He left the room without saying another word. He came there to thank Kol. After it was done, he had no desire to stay to listen to Kol.

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><p><strong>If you guys are in need of HayleyElijah time...I promise. It's next chapter. Goodnight. Review because I stayed up 2 hours later than necessary to publish this. LOL. I'm guilt trippin you. I win.**

**REVIEW.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Thanks for anyone who reviewed the last chapter or any other chapter for that matter. **

**Music  
><strong>

**Trailways - Red House Painters**

**I'm God - Clams Casino **(Kol & Elijah)

**Medicine - Daughter **(Elijah & Hayley/ car)

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><p>A few days had passed since Hayley was attacked. Elijah wouldn't allow himself to leave her alone again. The event made them stay closer to one another. Hayley didn't mind his more consistent presence; she just hated what had to happen for it to change.<p>

She sat at the kitchen counter, always hating to eat at the fancy table. Elijah leaned at the counter, watching her. Hayley had her hood up and was still attempting to wake up. Mornings were never her thing. She was and always will be a night owl. Later tonight was the big decade dance at the local high school. Rebekah had been so excited about it but Hayley had yet to see her that day.

"Where's your sister?" She asked Elijah before she took another sip of coffee.

He listened for a moment. "She's convincing Niklaus to go to the dance."

Hayley smiled at that. "I don't think he really needs convincing. He's just putting on an act. He wants to see Caroline, he'd just never admit it." Elijah smirked at how right she was. He moved to sit on the kitchen stool next to her. She laid her head on top of his shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't want to make an appearance?" He asked her.

She immediately moved to look at him. "I think you already know the answer to that." She stated.

Elijah nodded and smirked. "Well, in that case. What would you like to do tonight?" He asked her softly.

"Anything that involves you. I don't really care." Hayley laughed softly.

"Good. There's a surprise for you upstairs." He said. Her eyes narrowed, wondering what it was. She jumped off the stool and rushed upstairs to their bedroom. Elijah slowly followed her, amused at her instant response.

Hayley opened the door and saw a dress and heels neatly placed on top of the bed. She slowly walked over to get a closer look. Picking up the hanger, her fingers slid down the clothing's fabric. It was a short, black, and lace dress. The neck was high and went straight across. It was classic and timelessly beautiful, fitting Elijah's personality and taste perfectly. The shoes were black suede and high heeled.

"Do you like it?" His voice sounded from the doorway as he watched her reaction to his gift. She quickly turned to face him, the hanger still in her hands. Placing it back softly on the bed, she slightly skipped over to him.

Hayley placed a kiss on his lips. "I love it. What's the occasion?"

"I thought while my siblings go to a absurd high school dance, I could take you somewhere suitable." His hands went down her sides to rest on her hips. Hayley put her arms over his shoulders.

"What exactly does 'suitable' mean?" She smiled as her head tilted to the side.

"You will see." He whispered before overpowering her with a passionate kiss. Hayley instantly responded. His grip on her waist became stronger as he pulled her even closer to his body. Her heartbeat was quickening. Always being a gentleman, Elijah gently pulled away from her. He could feel her heavy breathing on his neck.

"You are full of surprises. And what inspired you to do this, may I ask?" Hayley giggled at him once her body calmed down. Their kiss had left her euphoric.

"You don't deserve to be kept in this mansion all the time. I'm the only reason you are in this dreadful town. I hope tonight won't make our trip completely unbearable. We're leaving soon. With the last stake burned, I have no reason to make you stay here anymore."

"You mean you're coming back to Chicago?" Hayley asked trying not to sound too excited about the idea of leaving Mystic Falls or his family.

"It's more of a home to me than this place has ever been. Wherever you are, Hayley, that's where I shall be too. That's where we belong, away from this place."

A few hours later, Hayley had finished getting ready for her date with Elijah. She was shocked Rebekah had never come to get her. She'd promised the original she'd help her get ready for her dance. With her dress and heels on, she grabbed her clutch to find her to say she hoped she'd have a fun time at the dance. Hayley walked down one of the many halls of the mansion. Eventually she went to Rebekah's, but it was empty. She sighed in disappointment.

"Looking for someone?" Someone said behind her, causing Hayley to jump. She turned to see Kol giving her a devilish smile since he knew he'd scared her. They hadn't spoken since the night he saved her from the hybrid. He'd been avoiding her, not wishing to hear the appreciations for rescuing her.

"Have you seen Rebekah? I was supposed to help her get ready for the dance. I haven't seen her all day." Hayley asked him.

"She left awhile ago." His response put a frown on her face. Kol took the moment of her inner worries to take her appearance in. Hayley's short hair was pulled back so half still lay to graze her pale shoulder. Her eye make-up was left dark and smoky. It made the color in her blue-green eyes even more mesmerizing. The dress fit her body like a glove, stopping just above her knees. Kol couldn't lie to himself; she looked absolutely beautiful.

Hayley, finally finished wondering if she'd done something wrong to Rebekah, looked back at Kol. She noticed him staring at her in a way she'd never seen before. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked him nervously.

"If I didn't know better, I'd mistake you for your evil doppelgänger." Kol said as he took a step closer to her. His hand slowly grabbed hers. He brought it to his lips, lightly placing a kiss onto it. Hayley then ripped her hand away and glared at him. Elijah suddenly appeared at her side.

Hayley turned to look at him, hoping he didn't just see the exchange. He was wearing a fancier suit than his usual everyday ones. It was black and had a silk trim. A crisp, white shirt lay underneath with a black bow tie to finish off the outfit. But as she took him in, Elijah was staring at his younger brother who still leered at Hayley without a care.

Everything made sense to him now. Elijah watched the way Kol stared at Hayley. This whole time, he had been so worried about Klaus that he had completely overlooked the potential of Kol. His brother saved Hayley because he felt something for her, something more than entertainment, something more than friendship. It couldn't be love; he didn't believe Kol was even capable of feeling it. Hayley finally noticed Elijah watching his brother. She looked between the two of them, confused at what was happening. But he stopped to look at her.

"Are you ready to go?" Elijah asked her politely. Hayley softly smiled at him as she nodded her head. "I'll meet you downstairs, I wish to speak to my brother for a moment." Her eyes questioned his intentions but she only nodded her head again and moved toward the staircase at the other end of the hall. Both vampires watched her body move further and further away until she reached the stairs.

Elijah once again turned his attention toward his younger brother. He moved closer to him. Their heights almost perfectly matching as he locked eyes with Kol. "I don't know what game you are trying to play. But I advise you to stop." He said calmly. Elijah always had a knack for terrifying others without even slightly raising his voice. But he already knew nothing he said would scare Kol, it was only meant to intimidate him. His hands were casually in his pockets but everything about his posture said he would rip out his brother's throat if necessary.

"Really, brother, your insecurities are making you pathetically jealous." Kol sneered. He also took a step closer to him, showing Elijah that he wasn't scared or intimidated by him. He does what he wants and no one would ever stop him.

"They are not insecurities. It's a warning, Kol. She is the most important thing to me. Hayley is too good for you. I do not fully understand your feelings toward her, nor do I really care. You are reckless, compulsive, and unstable. Stay away from her, or I promise I'll rip out your heart and finish what our mother started." Elijah glared into his eyes, verifying that he meant every word he said.

For once in his life, Kol's face was serious. He heard every warning that was given. The muscles of his jaw clenched in anger at being threatened. "She's also too good for you, dear brother." He hissed.

"I am already aware. The difference is I won't hurt her after I'm done being entertained beyond a short attention span." Elijah gave him a look that dared him to say otherwise. He knew his brother. And that was exactly why he ordered him to stay away from Hayley. He had trouble allowing them just to be friends. But this changed everything. He could no longer trust his brother with the girl he loved.

Elijah wasn't jealous or concerned about Hayley loving his brother. He thought back to the early stages of his relationship with her. She didn't trust anyone, for her, it was almost impossible. It was a feat to open up to anyone. By some miracle, he was able to when no one else could. He looked at Kol and knew that he would never be able to understand Hayley like he could. Maybe Kol was intrigued by his inability to see everything or how she wasn't afraid to give back the attitude he gave to everyone. But all of that would soon pass.

Kol couldn't defend himself. In his conscious, he denied everything Elijah said. But deep down inside, he knew that what his brother spoke of was true. He would never let his brother believe he was right though. Kol still hoped for a chance to make Elijah believe his feelings toward Hayley were inexistent. "Well then, next time you leave her alone, don't expect me to save her. In fact, I might kill her myself. Just so I can prove all your assumptions wrong."

Right as he was finished, Elijah had his hand latched around Kol's throat. He slammed him against the wall. "If you ever threaten her life again to me. You have my word, it will be the last thing to leave your mouth." He removed his grip from Kol's throat, whose hands were both grasped around. Elijah walked away sick of listening to his brother's hazards and stupidity.

Hayley waited patiently in the front hall, oblivious to the events that had just occurred. Looking at her should've calmed Elijah but it only made him think about Kol's words more. He never expected any of this to happen from Kol. But it was almost his fault for basically forcing them to spend time together.

"Is everything okay?" She asked him a little concerned.

Elijah smiled at her, carefully walking over to her side and placing a kiss on her lips. Hayley beamed at him "You look beautiful." He said softly to her as he grabbed her hand and escorted her out the front door.

"So what was that all about?" Hayley asked Elijah after a few minutes of being in the car, on the way to their mysterious destination.

"I just had to speak with Kol." He said quietly. He didn't want to lie to her but he couldn't bring himself to explain the newly developed situation.

"You don't honestly expect me to believe that and let it go." She declared a little annoyed with his dishonesty. Her attitude caused him to take his eyes away from the road in front of him to look at her.

"I want you to be careful around my brother, Hayley." He said after a few moments of silence. She appeared confused, wondering where all this was coming from. Kol saved her life, for reasons she had yet to discover. Why would she need to be careful around him?

"Why would you say that?" She questioned.

"Because I don't trust him around you. He's dangerous. No one, especially a human, is safe around him."

"First it was Klaus, now it's Kol. Neither of them has ever hurt me. Both of them have saved me from some supernatural force. I don't understand how you can seriously believe they can't be trusted around me."

"He has feelings for you, Hayley." Elijah quickly said without looking at her. Hayley's face immediately dropped. His swift retort caught her off guard. It was the last thing she expected him to say.

"That's…. impossible. Kol doesn't care about me at all. He doesn't care about anyone. You're being ridiculous." Hayley stuttered her way through the response. She wouldn't allow herself to believe it.

"Why do you think he saved you?" He challenged softly.

"Because of you! He saved me for you, Elijah." She defended. But she suddenly remembered his conversation with her before he left for Denver. Elijah looked over to see she was deep in thought.

"What? What is it?" He urged.

"Before Kol left for Denver…he said something to me." She looked up at Elijah. "He didn't apologize for the night he kill that girl. But that was what he was trying to do without actually saying it. He told me…he said he would never hurt me." Suddenly, Hayley didn't think Elijah was being so unreasonable. But she did believe what Kol had said to her. He had never looked or spoke the way he had when he'd said that to her. She sighed as she looked down at her feet.

Elijah was quiet, processing what she'd just told him. "Believe what you want. I simply don't want you to get comfortable around him. He's manipulative and there's nothing that will seem too far for him if he doesn't get what he wants." They were at their destination now. He had turned the car off and was looking at her. Everything about her seemed confused. She just didn't understand how anything he said could be true. Kol was…Kol. None of it made sense. Or maybe it was just hard for her to accept that someone else cared about her beside Elijah.

Elijah got out of the car before she could say anything else. He was at her door in a second. She grabbed his hand before he could lead her away from the car. "Elijah, you don't have to worry about Kol. We're leaving soon. He's not going to hurt me. Let's just… not talk about it anymore. Tonight is going to be carefree. You and me…that's it." Hayley said softly. Elijah smirked a little at her efforts to make sure the night remained ordinary. She was desperate for normalcy. Hayley just wanted to put aside his siblings and everyone else in the crazy town of Mystic Falls. Right now, she just wanted Elijah, nothing else.

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><p><strong>So I hate to pull a vampire diaries, but I will be going on hiatus for a few days. I have finals until thursday and I can't distract my already scatter brained mind with writing this story. Don't freak. I promise I'll be back at the end of this week. BECAUSE I'LL BE DONE WITH SCHOOL AND IT WILL BE SUMMER! Please don't hate me. <strong>

**On that note. _Review pretty pretty please_. It will make me happy when I'm depressed studying for finals about topics and subjects I don't give two shits about and will help me in no way throughout my life.**


	46. Chapter 46

**Ok thank you all for being SOOO PATIENT. And thanks to everyone who wished me good luck on my finals in their reviews. That was really sweet of you guys. Anyways, I'll keep this short and sweet. I hope you guys like this chapter!**

**Music  
><strong>

**The Ladder - Andrew Belle **(Party)

**A Rat's Nest - Thom Yorke**

**Daisy - Brand New**

**If I Had A Heart - Fever Ray**

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><p>Hayley and Elijah had made a silent agreement not to talk about Kol or the rest of the original family for the rest of the night. They needed a reminder of how they used to be before everything had become outrageous. Hayley's arm was delicately linked with Elijah's as they walked toward an old Victorian house. In the dark night, the light flooding from the tall windows became a beacon of light. People were streaming out of cars and valet's rushed to take them. There were a few faces Hayley recognized from around downtown.<p>

"Where are we?" She whispered into Elijah's ear as they walked to the door.

"The Lockwood Mansion. I ran into Carol Lockwood and felt obligated to accept her invitation. But I also recognized it as a chance to share your beauty for once. I've truly been selfish." He said softly to her, knowing it would cause a slight blush. She then rolled her eyes a little in embarrassment.

"Elijah Mikaelson, I'm so glad you could make it." Hayley assumed the woman was the owner of the house and also the host of the extravagant party. In Elijah's moment of small distraction, she looked around at some of the guests that filled the rooms close to the front door. A significant amount of guests were older in age, probably parents of the teens she constantly saw at the grill. But there were also quite a few older siblings, most likely home from college. A few of the people close in vicinity gave her a curious look, clearly noticing she was an outsider to their town.

Elijah continued to small talk Carol Lockwood as Hayley quietly stood by his side. Usually in these situations, she was extremely social and charming. But with the certain circumstances of vampire, werewolves, and founding families, she followed his lead.

"Allow me to introduce my girlfriend, Hayley." Elijah said with a certain charisma as his hand gestured toward her. Hayley's charm immediately turned on, smile beaming and hand confidently reaching to shake Carol's. The word girlfriend caught both Hayley and Carol off guard for a moment. He had never introduced her to anyone as his 'girlfriend'. And the very fact that Elijah had a girlfriend was what startled Carol. The original family was seen as a constant threat and she invited Elijah as a peace offering. She didn't think they were capable of such human affairs.

"It's so nice to meet you. You have an absolutely lovely home." Hayley smoothly stated as her hand firmly shook hers.

"Oh, thank you so much for attending." Carol quickly responded. She seemed to be sizing her up. Hayley thought she was trying to judge whether she was human or vampire. But she realized that surely the mayor of the town would already know so much about her from all the gossip.

Elijah watched her closely as he escorted them further into the event. He looked around to see many people had eyes on the two of them. Part of them belonged to the council members who were fully aware of him being an original vampire and also knew he could kill everyone at the party if he chose to. But the other onlookers were the ones that bothered him. It was the younger gentlemen who eyed Hayley in a way that actually _did_ make him want to murder everyone at the celebration.

He stopped the two of them before they were fully submerged in a crowd of some sort. "I don't believe I should leave you alone tonight with all the attention you're causing." Elijah said it playfully to her, but she could recognize the protectiveness in his voice. He grabbed two glasses of champagne from a waiter passing by and handed one to her. She glared at him with a smile to show she'd caught the hidden meaning in his statement.

"I think we both know I'm fully capable of taking care of myself. When it comes to the humans I can be pretty terrifying." Hayley took a sip of her champagne after giving Elijah a mischievous smile.

"From what I hear, vampires should be equally terrified. I believe you stabbed a makeshift stake into a certain hybrid." Elijah eyed her. He tried to continue their lighthearted chatter. But the concern he had about her dangerous actions showed through.

Hayley's face immediately dropped. "He told you that?" She whispered, refusing to say Kol's name aloud after their agreement. Elijah only nodded his head in seriousness. She looked away from his worried gaze and saw that Carol Lockwood was trying to get Elijah's attention.

"You have small talk and introductions to do. And I don't need to be your shadow the entire night." Hayley said as she gestured toward the host. Elijah only looked back at her, not wanting to leave her side. "Go do your thing…I'll be fine." She reassured him before she pecked him on the lips, hoping it would get him to leave.

Hayley watched him regretfully walk away from her, deeper into the crowd. His body eventually disappeared from her sight. She sighed and downed the rest of her champagne. "You hate coming to these things too?" A voice said next to her. A young woman stood next to her with brown curly hair.

She clearly noticed Hayley's confusion to her because she gave her a friendly smile and stuck out her hand. "Hi! I'm Meredith Fell." The name didn't register in her head but she gladly took her handshake. Any company was welcomed.

"I'm Hayley Raymond. I don't hate 'these things'. I just mind them when I have no idea who any of these people are. And in return they like to just stare at me." She laughed a little when Meredith had an amused smile at her explanation.

"Well that's probably because they either are checking you out or know you're dating an original vampire." She said lightly as she handed her another glass of champagne, knowing alcohol always came in handy at these festivities.

Hayley's lying skills immediately went into play. She looked back at Meredith with a perplexed look, thinking her statement was a test of some sort. But Meredith shook her head, immediately knowing what she was doing. "No, it's fine. I'm part of a founding family. And I'm a council member. I didn't mean to put you into stealth mode!" Meredith shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, I just got off a 24 hour shift at the hospital and my social skills apparently were lost in the process."

Hayley relaxed. "No need to apologize. I completely understand. My sister's a nurse. Frankly, I don't know why you bothered to come here instead of sleeping."

"I was asking myself that very question before I saw you standing over here by yourself." Meredith joked. Suddenly, her eyes caught something on the other side of the room. "Your boyfriend is watching you quite closely." She said with a grin.

Hayley looked up to see that Elijah had made his way closer to them; still talking to people she didn't know. His eyes looked at her apologetically once they caught. She only smiled at him, proving she was fine without him. The room seemed to become extremely hot all of the sudden. This wasn't exactly what she had planned when she talked about alone time with Elijah. But Hayley wouldn't complain. She understood the reasoning for coming to the party.

"Would you want to go outside and grab some air with me?" She asked Meredith quickly, turning away from Elijah's gaze. His attention was brought back to the conversation anyways. Meredith nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with the outside air idea.

She led the way around the mansion, taking side hallways and swooping through doorways Hayley would never had been able to find on her own. A few minutes later, they were outside on the side of the mansion where no guests could see them. But the sounds of the party drifted over and proved they were still close.

"This is so much better." Hayley commented. She felt like she could breath now. Her back was to the forest and yard that surrounded the mansion. She faced Meredith who was looking past her shoulder with a concerned and almost frightened expression. Hayley whipped around to comprehend what she was seeing.

"Alaric, Damon said you left town. What are you doing here?" Meredith tried to sound calm as she spoke to him. Hayley looked between the two and slowly backed away, closer to Meredith and the mansion.

"I'm just picking someone up." His eyes fell on Hayley. Alaric's voice was low and each word slowly slithered off his tongue. It made Meredith realize that he was not himself. He wasn't the Alaric they all knew and loved. Hayley didn't need to be told that he was in his possessed form. She could tell from the fear in Meredith's eyes. But she felt calmer knowing he was human. She had a chance to run and to fight, unlike every other scenario where the odds were not in her favor.

"Meredith, we need to get back inside." She said softly enough that Meredith could hear but Alaric, who was slowly walking toward them, could not. Her companion only nodded her head in understanding. They backed away toward the door; scared any sudden movements would set him off. But it didn't matter. Alaric lunged toward Hayley, grabbing her and wrapping his hand over her mouth to silence any notifying screams she could give. Meredith, having no incentive to help, struck him anyway. She tried distracting him long enough to allow Hayley to run, knowing she was the one he wanted. It worked, giving Hayley seconds to get away from Alaric. Kicking off her heels, she ran toward the door. "Elijah!" She screamed, pleading that he would be able to hear it. Meanwhile, Alaric easily threw Meredith off him, sending her to the earth so hard that she was knocked unconscious. He had enough of Hayley's fight and took out a gun that was tucked into the back of his jeans. He quickly shot it at Hayley's running form. The dart lodged itself perfectly into her neck. The tranquilizer made her body instantly collapse and fall into comatose. The party was too loud for Elijah to be able to hear Hayley's scream. But Alaric hurried anyway as he picked up her motionless figure.

Meredith slowly awoke with a pounding headache. She looked around confused, her thoughts still trying to remember what had just happened. But everything quickly came flooding back. Hayley was nowhere to be found. That was when she noticed her shoes still thrown on the ground. Alaric still managed to take her. _How much time had passed?_ She asked herself. Meredith shot up from the ground to find someone to help. But it was too quick; her head spun as the blood rushed to her injured head. She ignored it as she rushed back into the party. She tried to act calm as she passed familiar faces but refused to slow down her determined and scared pace.

Her eyes scanned every room she walked through hoping to find him. But when she finally discovered his chocolate brown eyes, they had already been resting on her own. He immediately knew something was wrong by the way she was looking at him and excused himself from the present conversation. They found a dark and secluded corner in seconds.

"He took Hayley." Meredith spit out immediately in a rushed whisper.

Elijah's jaw clenched and his eyes became dark. "Who took her?"

"Alaric. He's not himself. I don't know why he did it. I tried to help but I blacked out. She tried to make a run for it but he had a tranquilizer. I don't know where they went." Meredith tried to be as helpful as possible. She didn't like vampires, especially an original one. But Hayley was an innocent victim. Just another human caught in problems that were not her own. She was helping for her sake, not for Elijah's. She tried to piece together how much time had passed since she had been out, calculating how far Alaric could have gone. Elijah's only thanks were the nod of his head before he sped out of the room.

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><p>The group stood in another one of the school's gyms that was luckily abandoned. Bonnie chanted an incantation to try and get rid of the boundary spell. They all watched carefully. Except for Klaus who grew impatient with every word.<p>

"What's taking so long? All boundary spells have a loophole." Klaus snapped at Bonnie. Before she could retort to his unhelpful remark, Matt rushed into the gym.

"People are walking right out of the dance, past the barrier." He pointed out.

"Well if Matt and I can leave, we can stop Ester ourselves. We just got to find out where she is." Jeremy said as he looked at Matt and then the vampire brothers.

"Suicide Jeremy." Stefan immediately responded with. Klaus had had enough of their stupidity. This was why they were so weak. They always worried about who would die and who would live. Their lives meant nothing to him. All he wanted was Elena alive to continue to breed his hybrids. He also wanted Ester dead, unable to kill him and their family any longer.

He went to grab Jamie's throat. The human's feet dangled in struggle at his suffocation. "Suicide would be disappointing me. Now work your magic, witch. Or I'll start killing people you fancy." Klaus announced to everyone.

But Matt beat Bonnie to a response. "Hayley's here." He quickly said to the original, hoping it would distract him enough to let Jamie go. Klaus didn't drop the human; he only turned to stare at Matt.

"I found her unconscious in the other gym. Someone must have brought her here. She's with Caroline and Tyler." Matt stated calmly. Klaus put together what was happening. His mother brought her here to lure in Elijah. She needed as many targets as she could. Perhaps she somehow knew it could bring Kol here too. He whipped out his phone to warn his brother not to come to the school. It would only cause more of a threat. But the ringing continued as Elijah refused to answer the phone. His jaw tightened in frustration.

"Ah, don't be stupid Klaus. Bonnie doesn't give a damn about us. The only reason she's helping us right now is because of Caroline and Tyler. You start killing people she cares about, she'll tell us all to go to hell." Stefan intervened.

Klaus looked back at the puny human in his grip for a moment before violently dropping him to the ground. He walked out without a word. His feet took him to the other vacated gym he knew he would find Hayley. Tyler and Caroline sat nearby her still frame that lay across the lowest bleacher. Caroline looked up at Klaus cautiously, not knowing what he was about to do. The original ignored the other two as he went to Hayley's side. He knelt down looking down at her.

Hayley's body, as if on cue, started rousing out of her sleep. After a few minutes, her eyelids fluttered open and her eyes fell on Klaus. "Is Elijah okay? Where am I?" She immediately asked. Klaus could hear her heart racing in panic. He didn't answer her first question, for his brother could not be okay in a moment.

"Who did this?" Klaus growled. He was completely ignoring Tyler and Caroline who watched his interaction with Elijah's love.

"It was Alaric." She said softly, trying to sit up on the bleachers. And as a result, triggered a severe migraine. Suddenly her eyes widened at a thought she had. She looked around quickly for something. "Where's my phone?" She looked up at the three people watching her, hoping they knew. But it was missing.

"He'll bring Elijah here to kill him. He's using me as bait. You have to make sure he doesn't come to the school, Klaus!" She waited impatiently for him to respond. The original didn't appear as concerned for his brother's safety as he should be.

"I already tried. There's no use, Hayley. My brother will come for you no matter what you or I say." Klaus said seriously. He looked over at Caroline and Tyler, deciding he no longer wanted them as an audience. Roughly, he grabbed Hayley's arm and dragged her out of the gym.

"Klaus let go! You're hurting me!" She snapped at him as she tried to rip her arm from his grip. He ignored her protests and continued pulling her through the dark hallways of the high school. Finally, they were outside of the building. Teenagers were going in and out of the dance still. Klaus stopped and let go of her arm. He gestured to a line of salt that bordered the entire school.

"Go home, Hayley. It's not safe here." He said calmly to her. But Hayley's eyes only narrowed, finding it humorous that he thought she would listen to him so easily. Klaus stepped closer to her. "Leave or I'll just compel you to obey." He looked down at her neckline where she usually had her vervain necklace sitting. But tonight it sat on the counter of the bathroom. There was nothing to stop him from doing what he said.

"Why aren't you coming?" Hayley asked softly. Then she looked down at the salt and back at Klaus. "…Because you can't." She whispered, answering her own question. He only looked back at her as a confirmation of her statement.

"Hayley." A voice said deeply behind her. Both Klaus and her turned around to see Elijah walking out of the school quickly toward her. She had instantly recognized his voice and her heart quickened with both relief and fear. She was relieved that he was okay but feared what danger she had just put him in. The two embraced each other in relief at seeing one another safe…for the moment.

"Why did you come here? It's a trap, Elijah!" Hayley rushed to him. His hands still gripped her arms, scared that something would steal her away again.

"Someone sent me a message from your phone, telling me you were here. Are you alright?" Elijah asked softly as he brushed a piece of hair off her face. She smiled barely and nodded her hear to reassure him that she was. "You have to leave. This is too dangerous." His words echoed those of his brother.

"I'm not going to leave you here alone for Ester to kill you!" Hayley said quickly. Her hands firmly gripped his shoulders showing she wasn't letting him go that simply.

"He won't be able to protect himself if all he's worried about is your protection. You're only a distraction. Go home, Hayley. You'll only get in the way." Klaus interrupted their private conversation. His comments made him sound insensitive. But really, he cared about her safety too. He just wouldn't allow it to show and used other methods to make her leave. If she wouldn't go for her own safety, Klaus knew she would to save the life of his brother. She looked at him, hurt by his words. But then she looked at Elijah to disconfirm. Bur he only gazed at the ground, agreeing to use Klaus' low techniques of getting her to leave.

Just as she was about to give in, Matt and Jeremy burst out of the school. One held a gun while the other a cross bow. She understood that they were the only ones who could leave, humans who were able to cross the line.

"Let me help you." Hayley immediately said. Elijah grabbed her by the arm as she started to walk toward them. "Don't even think about it." He growled.

"No, let her go. Ester won't harm her." Klaus added, which caused a deathly glare from his brother. Matt and Jeremy looked uncomfortable. They knew they had a small chance of success and needed all the help they could get. But they wondered if she would actually be helpful or just be a liability.

"We didn't think Ester would kill her own children either, but here we stand, Niklaus." Elijah snapped at his reckless brother. But as the two argued, Hayley had stepped over the line watching them. They could no longer reach her physically. Elijah abruptly noticed her moving further away from the salt.

"Hayley, what are you doing?" Panic filled his voice.

"I'm not going to stand by helplessly as she tries to kill you. I have to try and help them. And I'm not letting you stop me." She whispered to Elijah before turning to Jeremy, who stood on a foot or two away. "Give me something." Her voice was forceful and it made Jeremy jump a little. He grabbed a knife from his jacket and slowly handed it to her. Clearly nothing would stop her and she'd be better off with a weapon than without. Hayley held it strongly in her hand. "Let's go." She said without any emotion. She wouldn't allow herself to look back at Elijah. His torn and helpless expression would ruin her determination. Damon and Stefan now stood outside, watching Hayley. Damon was surprised at her bravery but nothing in his expression would publicize his thoughts, Stefan only hoped she would survive.

The forest blocked the moon from giving the three humans any bit of light. Hayley was able to walk stealthily compared to the boys, due to her lack of shoes. As they walked further into the cemetery, the three of them swore they could feel the witch's magic in the air. Jeremy stopped them when they noticed the crypt was lit with candles. He signaled to Matt and Hayley to move forward.

Hayley stopped both of the boys. "Seriously…that's your plan? Just charge forward? Aren't boys supposed to be obsessed with gears of war or call of duty or some shit like that?" Hayley whispered, annoyed with their stupidity. They just looked at her blankly. She shook her head. "Matt you take the left side and Jeremy take the right. Shoot her the first chance you get. I only have a knife. Therefore, I'm plan b." Matt and Jeremy shook their head in agreement; knowing her plan was obviously a better one.

As they drifted forward, Hayley veered to the side. She snuck to the back of the crypt, hidden in bushes and the shadows from the trees. She cringed when she saw and heard Matt step on a branch, completely giving away their element of surprise. Her eyes saw Ester walk into the open, Elena not that far behind. Where was Alaric? Hayley whipped around to make sure he wasn't about to attack her. But she was on her own. When she turned back to face the enemy her eyes widened in horror. Ester was forcing Jeremy and Matt to turn their weapons onto each other with her magic. They were about to kill one another, completely unable to stop it. Hayley refused to stand by again and watch someone get murdered. She raced forward without thinking, knife held tightly. Ester never saw her coming from behind as she stabbed the knife into her back. Matt and Jeremy's weapons immediately dropped without harming either of them.

Elena, Matt, and Jeremy watched in shock as Ester's body slowly fell to the ground, lifeless. Hayley's face was white as she retracted the knife that was now covered in blood. She stared at the red dripping off, starting to comprehend that she'd just killed someone.

"Elena? Jeremy?" The four of them turned around to see Alaric carefully walking out of the crypt. He was clearly himself now and didn't remember anything that had occurred. Jeremy and Elena rushed over to him. They left Matt and Hayley outside by themselves. Silence filled the forest. Hayley was too busy staring down at Ester's body that she didn't notice Matt had moved to her side. He couldn't imagine being able to kill someone like she had. He stood next to her, hoping it would comfort and rid her of any guilt.

"Hayley let go of the knife." He softly placed his hand onto her shoulder, trying to comfort her. But she was in a daze. It wasn't the same as the time she'd seen Kol murder that girl. She was in shock at how capable she had been at killing someone. Ester wasn't innocent. But innocent or not, her death still made Hayley a killer now. Nonetheless Ester wished to kill an entire species. The original witch wanted to perform genocide. She assumed just because her children had become monsters, that every vampire could be nothing but that.

"Hayley." His voice brought her out of reality. Hayley's head shot up to see Elijah and Klaus walking toward her. The rest of the vampires followed closely behind them. Both of the originals looked from the knife in her hand to their mother's corpse. Klaus' mouth flipped into an evil smile at what she'd done.

"Looks like you're a part of the family now, love." The hybrid said to her with a smirk. Elijah cautiously looked back and forth between his brother and Hayley. As the words finally registered, she dropped the knife. It fell straight down, embedding the blade into the dirt at her feet.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? <em>Please review<em>. I'm in desperate need of review love. :/**


	47. Chapter 47

**I don't know why I'm up this late. BLAHHH. Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy. That is all.**

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><p>Matt's gaze didn't break from Elijah as he slowly backed away from Hayley. Obviously, nothing he could do would help her. After he took a few steps back, he watched their interaction closely. Hayley's arms quickly embraced the vampire. Elijah held onto her tightly. His hand rubbed the small of her back, hoping it would soothe her. Matt saw him whisper something into her ear, causing her to nod. But it was too quiet for his human ears to catch. He didn't understand why she would risk everything to help any of the vampires in the original family. Yes, Elijah seemed to be the one that had the most humanity. But she just seemed too human to be able to fit in this world. They were the same in that way, Matt realized. He never really understood Elijah before Hayley. But as he watched the way he held her in his arms, he knew the vampire would do absolutely anything for her.<p>

Hayley finally stepped back and looked up at Elijah. "I'm fine. I promise." She observed the scene that still surrounded them. Klaus hadn't paid his brother or her any attention. He had already grabbed his mother's body and vanished from the rest of them. She overheard Elena explaining what the original witch had done to him. The moment she looked into Alaric's eyes, she knew he wouldn't complete the transition. She turned back to Elijah. "We should leave." She whispered to him. He nodded, knowing what she spoke of since he heard the conversation also. Together, they slowly walked away from the cemetery.

"You must never do that again, Hayley." Elijah said sternly. He didn't care that he hated giving commands of any sort to her. She put her life in danger to save him, knowing he was helpless to stop her.

She ignored his seriousness, brushing it off as less meaningful than it was. "I did it to save your life…and your family's." She added his siblings, suddenly realizing that a part of her did it for them too. If Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah died when she could have done something to help, she wouldn't forgive herself.

Elijah stopped walking, stepping in front of her to get her attention. "Under no circumstances are you allowed to risk your life. Do you understand? Not even for me…especially for me. I don't believe you understand how powerless I felt as you left to possibly die to save my life." His eyes held certain sadness as his mind started flipping through the other scenario that could've occurred.

Hayley glared slightly. "Actually I completely understand what it's like to feel helpless while the person you love risks their life. Why are you the only one that's allowed to fight? Do you realize what a hypocrite you are?" She didn't wait for him to respond as she shoved past him. But he easily matched her steps again.

"I won't let you sacrifice your life, because none of this is your burden to bare. You'd never be involved in any of this nonsense if you were not for me. That is what makes it different. You are 20 years old, Hayley. How did you come to truly believe your life is less valuable than my own?"

They were now at his car. Elijah's intensity had pushed Hayley against the passenger car door. Her eyes couldn't tear away from his. He was trying to make a point, intimidating her to win the argument.

"When I saw what I became after being without you for two years and realized I wouldn't survive if you died." She whispered the answer to his question that was meant to be rhetorical. But what she said was true and wanted to make sure he understood her reckless actions. Elijah was caught off guard by the roughness in her desolate response. His brow furrowed in concentration as one of his hands cupped the side of her face.

"Sometimes I wonder what I could have possibly done to deserve you, Hayley. I look at you and wait for something to take you away from me forever."

She looked confused, wondering how the answer could be so obvious to her but invisible to him in return. Didn't he remember the day they first met? If she had never met Elijah, that vampire would have killed her that night. She would have become another victim family's saw on the news, a missing person perhaps. He saved her life. While he believed he was a monster, she knew a monster wouldn't save a stranger from death. He deserved her because deep down inside, he was good. And she knew that more than anyone.

"We're leaving tomorrow." Elijah stated quickly as he opened her door.

Hayley blinked rapidly. "What?" The abrupt change in subject made it longer for her to process the information. She got in the car quickly and waited for him to get to the driver's seat to answer her question.

"This town is cursed. I won't risk your life here any longer, especially with your newly found death wish. We'll be gone by tomorrow night." Elijah said it smoothly, trying to get rid of any dramatics that may follow his wishes. But Hayley sat in the car silently. She wanted nothing more than to go back home with him. But the way they were leaving felt wrong. The stake was still out there, causing his siblings and him to still be in danger. His desperate wish for her safety now made his priorities clear. She was more important than his family. They could take care of themselves. Hayley was a young human who was stuck in a war that was never meant for her.

Hayley was so tired from the night's events; she fell asleep on the short ride back to Klaus' mansion. The sedative she'd been shot with still hadn't worn off. It caused her slight drowsiness to turn quickly into slumber. After Elijah turned off the car, he looked over at her sleeping body. There was another reason he wanted to take her far away, a reason he would never say aloud. With every day she spent here, her harmless humanity peeled away. Throwing her into his world had changed her. But in no way did it make him love her any less. First, she tried killing a hybrid, which was justified by self-defense. But she successfully killed Ester. It worried Elijah how quickly she had learned to accept the actions and reasoning of murder. He needed to take her away before she turned into everything she argued she was capable of. His memory of Klaus' delighted reaction in seeing the knife in Hayley's hand replayed in his mind. It put him on a certain edge. It was as if Klaus had a secret goal to change her, take the good away to make her more like their family.

He quietly opened the passenger door and softly lifted Hayley's resting figure into his arms. Elijah brought her up to their room and carefully laid her on the bed. She still wore the fancy dress from the party. Suddenly, he felt another presence in the room.

"What happened to her?" Kol leaned against the doorframe. His arms were crossed and he looked more amused by the view than concerned.

"Alaric, the mad man that he was, took her as bait to get me to the school. I'm sure Klaus has already informed you of Ester's plan." Elijah didn't feel like talking to his brother, especially after noticing the way he was looking at Hayley sleeping.

"Did he hurt her?" The younger Mikaelson inquired unconcernedly.

"Why does it matter to you? As I recall earlier in the night, you threatened to kill her yourself." Elijah pointed out roughly. "Your threat was useless I feel, seeing as we are both leaving tomorrow."

"You're what?" Kol stopped leaning and stood up straight at the news.

"Ester's plans continue to fail. The three of you can take care of yourselves. After tonight, I won't allow myself to put her life in danger any longer." He didn't understand why he felt the need to justify or explain his actions to Kol.

The younger original shrugged his shoulders, showing that the news didn't really faze him. Why should he care if his brother and her left? But his act didn't fool Elijah. Kol knew that another reason, maybe significantly smaller than the rest, for taking her away was him. Before he left their room, he took another glance at Hayley. He could hear her deep breathing from across the room. Elijah watched his brother's eyes, trying to read what exactly he felt for her. But before he could get a good interpretation, Kol quickly left the room.

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><p>Hayley awoke the next morning alone in the bed. She still wore the lace dress from last night. Elijah's words of leaving today came hurrying back. She got out of bed and started packing her things, not wanting to slow down any plans Elijah had probably already made. She didn't bring much. They had only been there for two weeks. On the nightstand, the art supplies Klaus had given her still sat. Hayley decided to pack it in one of her bags and then a thought suddenly hit her. She didn't know where her camera was. Her face dropped when she realized the last time she had it was when that hybrid attacked her. She had dropped her bag in order to run. The camera probably still sat there, hopefully not ruined.<p>

She changed out of her dress into distressed jeans and a cut of sweatshirt that hung loosely off one shoulder. Quickly, she threw on her converse, hoping to get to the spot in the forest before anyone could notice she'd left. As she opened the door of her bedroom, she was surprised to see people moving about the mansion. Boxes were being packed up and moved. She was a little relieved at the sight of it. All the craziness would help make it easier for her to sneak out.

Just as Hayley reached the back door leading to the forest behind the mansion, a voice caught her. "And where do you think you're going?" She turned around to see Klaus. His expression was different than usual. He didn't look amused or terrifying, there was something about him she couldn't figure out.

"I left my camera in the woods that night your stupid hybrid attacked me. I have to go find it before we leave. What are all these people doing here?" She questioned. But Klaus held up his finger to stop her before leaving. She watched patiently as he moved somewhere else in the house at vampire speed. He came back with her backpack that had her camera in it.

Hayley's eyes widened with happiness. "My camera! How did you find it?" She asked, carefully taking it out of his hands. He seemed pleased by how happy such a simple act had made her. His arms crossed as he watched her.

"I didn't find it…Kol did. He brought it back that night, I believe." He watched her response to his explanation. Her smile dropped and she looked at the ground. Klaus was about to say an inappropriate comment about her and Kol's relationship, but Hayley's phone started ringing. She looked at the name displayed on the screen and swore under her breath. Klaus had no intention of giving her privacy, not after her reaction to the person who was calling.

"Hello." She said impatiently.

"Why on earth have you missed your therapy sessions for the past two weeks?" An older woman's voice said firmly on the other end. But she wasn't yelling which made it sound like she didn't truly care about what she said.

"Because I don't need them anymore." Hayley hissed back.

"We had a deal, young lady. You go to therapy and your father and I pay for college." Klaus assumptions were clarified: she was speaking with her mother. An aggravation seemed to be a better term for her with the way she talked to Hayley.

"I don't care if you pay for my tuition or not. I hate pre-law anyways. I don't need therapy. I never did. But you and dad never bothered to ask me what was wrong yourselves. Just as long as you could figure out a solution without actually having to deal with it on your own." Hayley's words flew out of her mouth without the slightest stutter. Klaus could see she was releasing emotion she'd built up probably her whole life.

"I don't know what has got into you. And what do you plan on studying instead? Give up on your senseless dream of becoming an artist. Hayley, art school is the worst possible thing you could do with your life. You need to grow up." Her mother's insensitive words stirred something in Klaus. Now he understood what she meant by how similar they were. Both of their parents didn't love them. Although her parents hadn't tried to kill her, they dismissed her as a human being. Hayley didn't even bother responding to her mother. She hung up on her and looked up at Klaus, embarrassed that he had just heard the exchange. She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. There was a few seconds of silence.

"Well, she sounds lovely." Klaus said with a smirk.

"I hate her…both of them." Hayley's words surprised herself. She always thought it in her head. But she never permitted it to be said aloud. She didn't understand why she said it in front of Klaus instead of Elijah or her friends. But nevertheless, it was true. She felt no love toward her parents, only dislike.

"Elijah would kill them if I asked." She said it sarcastically to lighten the mood after the intense words she just spoke. But they both knew it was true. Elijah would do anything for her if she asked. Killing someone wouldn't faze him. It would be done if she truly wanted it.

"I would, even without your permission." Klaus said with a smile.

Hayley's amusement vanished. "That's not funny." But the evil smirk on the hybrid's mouth didn't fade. He quite liked the idea actually. Before he could say any more on the matter, she changed the subject.

"Where is Kol?" She whispered softly.

"I believe he's outside…playing baseball or some rubbish like that. I told him to leave the house in case the helping hands started to mess with his appetite."

Without giving a thank you, she left him alone to go outside. Her backpack was still in her hands when she walked onto the enormous yard of the mansion. She was surprised when Kol was very much playing baseball. There was a basket of baseballs at his feet. He repeatedly threw them up in the air, hitting them harder than any human could.

"Since when do you play baseball?" Hayley said once she was only a couple feet away from him. She wanted to start the conversation off casually. Beginning with something that had absolutely no value between the two of them. She hadn't talked to him since Elijah confessed his beliefs that Kol had feelings for her. And it felt weird, like there was something hanging over them. Whatever it was, it made her feel everything she said needed to be seriously thought out before spoken.

Kol hit another baseball before turning to look at her. He appeared angry and annoyed by her very presence. She didn't know what she could have possibly done to deserve such a greeting. "What do you want?" He asked roughly, starting to throw more baseballs into the air.

"Klaus said you found my camera…thank you." She shifted uncomfortably. "And I don't think I ever properly thanked you for that night." He had yet to say anything back to her. And it started to frustrate her. She hadn't done anything but be a friend to him. She didn't believe she merited the way he was acting.

"Ok. I don't know why you're mad at me. I just came to thank you and to say goodbye… Elijah and I are leaving today." Hayley thought the mentioning of her departure would finally make him to truly acknowledge her. But Kol didn't even act like she was standing next to him.

Hayley sighed. "Whatever. Bye, I guess." She turned to walk back to the mansion, baffled. She didn't know what she expected from talking to him. How could Elijah really believe he cared about her? But her mind started questioning not what she expected from Kol, but what she wanted. If he really had showed signs of what Elijah suspected, was that was Hayley desired?

Just as she took a few steps toward the house, Kol put down his bat. "I know my brother told you." He said to her. She stopped and turned back around.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Now that it was actually happening, she changed her mind about wanting to. She was dancing along a fine line that shouldn't be crossed.

"Don't play me a fool, Hayley. Elijah conveyed his theory about me and my feelings toward you." He tossed the bat to the ground and walked closer to her.

"So what if he did? That doesn't make it true." She stated.

"Does that mean you're saying you don't agree with him?" Kol said.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean." Hayley's voice wasn't as strong as how she started. Kol was walking closer and closer to her. Even though it shouldn't have, her body tensed in apprehension.

"And why are you so sure of yourself?" Kol raised a daring eyebrow.

"Because you don't care about me. If anything, my lack of feelings for you only makes me a challenge. That's all I am to you… a conquest. You don't love me; you can't love anyone. All I ever wanted to be was your friend. And now I can't even be that because Elijah doesn't trust you and he's scared that I'll…" Hayley stopped herself before she could get anymore upset. She expected him to be amused at her outburst, but he was sincerely listening to her. It only made the situation harder.

"You'll what? Fall in love with me? Or is that idea too hard for you to fathom?" Kol's voice was slow and balanced but the ruthlessness in his tone made Hayley's breath catch in her throat. "The allure of the doppelgänger has Elijah wrapped around its finger. Do you really think you'd break the spell so easily? He can never love you as much as loves them." His words were meant to hurt her, to make her change her mind of how sure she was about Elijah.

Tears filled her eyes as Hayley heard the things Kol said. But she refused to let him see her cry. Even though she shouldn't have, she believed everything he said about Elijah. How could she believe she'd be more than a doppelgänger? But what Kol said didn't make her care about him any more than before; it only hurt and made her loathe him in its place.

"I hate you, Kol." She whispered before turning to go back inside, but he blocked her path already. He was only inches away from her. She tried to step away from him but his hands roughly pulled the small of her back nearer to him. Before she could reject him any further, he pressed his lips to hers. Hayley honestly didn't expect Kol to ever to be so bold. So her body froze under surprise. She hated how her mouth was perfectly in tune with his, even when she wanted it to stop. Kol's hand grazed through her hair as the other cupped the side of her face. His kiss was different than anything she had with Elijah. It was rushed and rough but underneath, she could still feel whatever bit of humanity he had left. He wasn't as gentle as Elijah but he was being more gently than she ever believed was possible.

It took a few seconds before Hayley realized that she shouldn't be doing this. Reality hit her hard. She pushed against Kol with all her strength, knowing he wouldn't let her go easily. But as soon as their lips broke contact, something other than Hayley, pulled him off of her. Hayley's heart dropped when she saw Elijah had thrown Kol off of her. But he was back on his feet before Elijah could attack him once more. Kol dodged the punch that was about to hit him right in the jaw. But the next one was so easily evaded and it knocked Kol to the ground.

Hayley watched in horror as the two brothers fought at vampire speed and with super human strength. "Stop it, Elijah!" She screamed, but it was no use. He would ignore any plea she made. Shaking her head, she tried to think of something else. "Klaus! Klaus stop them!" She knew he would hear her. But she didn't know if he would care. Sure enough, he was outside a few seconds later. But the hybrid had no intention of stopping his siblings. He only stood, watching as if it was entertainment put on solely for him.

"Please, stop them!" Hayley begged. She looked back at Elijah and Kol. Elijah clutched his younger brother by the throat and slammed him on the ground. He grabbed the bat that lay on the ground. Hayley's eyes widened at the sight of it in his hands. An idea popped in her head, a stupid one of course. But it was her only choice. She tossed herself between Elijah and Kol, who lay on the ground.

Hayley stared at Elijah, her eyes pleaded. "That's enough." She whispered.

"Get out of the way, Hayley." He said with a coarse tone. He would never hurt her, not even in the heat of a fight. But he wasn't finished with his brother yet and he wouldn't stop until Kol was close to death. In the forced disruption from Hayley, Kol was able to pick himself off the ground. The two brothers glowered at one another over her shoulder.

"I said enough, Elijah!" She yelled this time. It made Elijah change his gaze to her. His expression finally softened. While Kol's eyes had turned into his predator form, fangs bared and veins visible, Elijah's face remained human and composed. Elijah finally nodded his head. Hayley watched his face for a few seconds, measuring if he truly would stop harming his brother. Satisfied, she slowly stepped to the side.

Just after she moved, Kol raised an eyebrow with a malicious smirk at his older brother. He knew it would drive Elijah crazy. But the moment he looked at Hayley was what set him off. All in a second, Elijah had raced to Kol and snapped his neck. His body fell to the ground instantly. If he were human, he'd be dead. But snapping his neck as a vampire only rendered him unconscious. That didn't stop Hayley's mouth from dropping and eyes from widening. She turned to Elijah in horror at what he just did. But he didn't look gratified; he looked livid. He stalked past Hayley and back toward the mansion without a word. A part of her wanted to go to Kol's side. Even though she knew he was alive, a part of her instincts kept registering his body as dead. With one last glance at him, she turned and walked past Klaus back to the mansion.

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><p><strong>Tell me your longest and deepest thoughts in a great review! Because you love this story...and elijah...and me?<strong>

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	48. Chapter 48

**So sorry for the shortness of this chapter...but i did sort of spoil you guys with the last two. Moving on. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE WHO REVIEWED! I has some really entertaining ones. People seem to be torn between Kol and Elijah lol. I did my job lol.**

**Music**

**Family - Joe Banfi**

**Smashed Birds - Sóley**

**Swans - Unkle Bob**

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><p>Hayley walked into the mansion to see Rebekah with fear in her eyes. Elijah glanced over at her as she entered the room. Whatever the original had just been talking about, it now concerned her older brother. Klaus came into the room, stopping to stand right next to Hayley.<p>

"What's going on?" Hayley whispered.

"Alaric Saltzman just tried to kill me." Rebekah rushed out.

"Alaric Saltzman is supposed to be dead." Klaus countered.

"Well, he's not and he's a vampire. Thanks to mother's spell, with a white oak stake that can't kill him! He's stronger, Nik, too strong." She looked between her siblings. Hayley had never heard her sound terrified. Rebekah was brave; it had to be something serious to truly scare her.

"Where is he now?" Elijah asked. Hayley watched him. She didn't understand how both him and Klaus could remain so calm. The perfect hunter was now on the loose, wanting nothing but to kill the original family.

"He's stuck at the school without a daylight ring. But as soon as the night falls, he'll come after us. We need to leave now." She looked at both Elijah and Klaus. But her gaze rested on the hybrid longer. She knew she didn't have to convince Elijah to leave. He cared about Hayley's safety too much to try and fight.

"Fine. I'll collect Elena and we'll be on our way." Klaus said casually. Hayley's eyes widened at the talk of the doppelgänger. Kol's words right before he kissed her repeated in her head. She bit her lip in frustration. She didn't understand how she could let Kol get to her so easily. But she wondered how Klaus could talk about taking her like she was some kind of dog? She wasn't his to take. Hayley didn't care for her, to be honest, but she knew Klaus' intentions were completely wrong.

"Forget Elena! You don't need anymore stupid hybrids!" Rebekah yelled. She was becoming frustrated with how unreasonable her brother was being. What mattered to her right now was her own safety.

"What I need is protection from Ester's continued assaults against us." Klaus' voice started to rise. That was when Hayley realized he was scared too. She may have killed their mother but the woman seemed to be invulnerable to death. And Ester wouldn't rest until she killed her children, ending the race of vampires. The fact that the hybrid was frightened made Hayley nervous herself. How silly she had been to think all of them were safe after killing the witch. Elijah must have heard her pulse quicken for she looked up to see him looking back at her. He gracefully moved to her side. The scuffle between him and Kol would be temporarily disregarded. There were now more dire problems to worry about. But Hayley wanted nothing more than to explain the situation to him. She needed him to know that she never wanted it. The thought of him believing the kiss was mutual, killed her.

"We'll protect each other, like we always have." Rebekah assured Klaus. He didn't need his hybrids anymore. They were stronger together anyways. "Always and forever, brothers." She looked at both Elijah and Klaus. But it wasn't Elijah who needed the convincing. He looked over at his brother who was staring back at Rebekah, deep in thought.

"I'm not leaving without her." Klaus said slowly. Hayley couldn't stand the look of heartbreak on Rebekah's face. Elijah had once told her the two of them had a bond he could never explain. She understood it now. Klaus was too scared for his safety to rely on his family. He couldn't trust anyone and that was his problem. Hayley felt sick at the parallels between the two of them.

Rebekah now looked as if she would cry when she spoke. "I'm leaving now. You can either walk out that door with me or you are on your own. I doubt Kol will stay at your side."

Klaus regarded her with a demeaning look, as if the idea of her words changing his mind was absurd. "Fine. Trust your hybrids over your family. Let your spite be the death of you. See if I care." Rebekah's voice shook as she spoke. She left the room without regarding Elijah or Hayley. She didn't plan on tagging along with them. Even though her brother would never deny her company.

Elijah left the room and made his way upstairs. Hayley watched his body disappear into their bedroom. She turned back to Klaus who was packing up things still, acting as if nothing had happened.

"You should go with her." She said softly. "You can protect each other better than any of your power hungry hybrids. Damon and Stefan won't ever let you take Elena anyways. Alaric will kill you."

Right after she was finished, Klaus sped over to her. His eyes looked angry and as if he would kill her if she spoke another word, it made her heart race. "Why do you give a damn what happens to me?" He growled. It took severe control for him not to hurt her. He constantly forgot how fragile she was, being a human. And he was so used to not caring about anyone's well being.

"Because I'm your friend… more than any of your sired hybrids." Hayley whispered as fear easily uncovered in her voice. But what she said was the truth. She carefully stepped away from him and rushed up the stairs. When she finally reached the bedroom, she found Elijah packing the last of their things. He didn't acknowledge that Hayley had entered the room. She went to sit on the edge of the bed, watching him move about the room.

"I didn't expect he'd ever do anything like that…I never…" Hayley couldn't think of what to say make him see she never wanted it. She had to convince him that the feelings between her and Kol were not in any way mutual. Elijah finally stopped what he was doing to look at her.

"There's no need for an explanation." He said simply.

"Yes, there is. I don't want you to think something happened that didn't." She got up from her spot on the bed to walk closer to him. "Please believe me when I say that I never wanted to kiss Kol. And I never will." She looked at the ground, too scared to see what his face would hold.

"I know that, Hayley. Otherwise I don't believe you would have attempted to push him off of you." Elijah said seriously.

Hayley put her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry, Elijah. I don't know how everything got so messed up. I never wanted any of this to happen." She looked up at Elijah, her eyes glazed over in tears.

"Do you love him?" He asked her softly. She couldn't handle how sad his eyes were as he asked her. He needed to hear her say it though.

"No." Hayley shook her head quickly. She was neither lying to him nor herself. It was true. And Elijah knew it as soon as her response was said. All the relief he felt showed no signs, leaving her to guess if he believed her.

"But you care for him." Elijah stated as he put his hands in his pant pockets.

She stared at him for a moment; too afraid to prove his statement was correct. After a few seconds, she turned her gaze to the ground as she nodded her head. "I care about your whole family." Hayley whispered.

"And why do you not love Kol?" He asked.

"Because I love _you_, Elijah." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. But it wasn't enough for him. He knew there was more to it than that and he needed to know exactly what.

"That is not all." He pointed out.

Hayley truly thought about why she could never love Kol like she did Elijah. Besides all of the things Kol did himself to make it impossible. She inhaled deeply. "Kol doesn't know me as well as he thinks he does. He can't see the me like you do, Elijah. He only recognizes what he wants. When I met you, I was so unhappy and I didn't even know. It wasn't until you made me so happy that I realized I wasn't even living before you were a part of my life. Kol was never there to see me that way. He only knows me for the person I want others to think I am. You of all people understand how hard it is for me to let my guard down. I can't just do that with anyone, Elijah. You're the only exception." Elijah watched her closely as Hayley spoke. She was right about everything she said. But he already knew of everything that was stated. He just needed to make sure she knew it also. If Kol really were better for her, he would make himself step aside. But Kol was worse. And in the long run, he would cause her more damage than love. Therefore, he would stay at her side, protecting her from whatever came their way.

Elijah only nodded his head at her response after a few moments of just looking at her. "You shouldn't have snapped his neck." Hayley added in a murmur.

"Kol needed to be taught a lesson. It was quite necessary, I assure you."

"Will he wake up before it's dark?" Her voice sounded worried. She instantly started wondering if he could make it out of Mystic Falls before it was dark. If Alaric were as strong as Rebekah said he was, it wouldn't be an easy fight.

"I presume so." Elijah stated calmly. "But we must leave. I want to get you as far away from here as possible. We'll drive. The next flight to Chicago isn't set to leave for hours and I do not desire to risk the wait." Before she could respond, he was grabbing all their things to bring downstairs at speed. Hayley knew he wouldn't let her help him at all. So she carefully went to the entrance hall of the mansion, making sure to stay out of the way. To her right, stood a wall of windows that looked out into the yard. Without thinking, her feet started taking her over to them. She looked for where Elijah had left Kol, laying dead on the grass. But she was surprised to find the yard empty. He must have woken up. A sigh of relief escaped her, knowing he had his chance to flee Mystic Falls just like the rest of them.

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><p><strong>Just a warning...there are only a few chapters left in this story.<strong>

**SO _REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW_!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed. Apparently I freaked everyone out with the warning about the ending of the story approaching. Sorry :/ But It can't go on forever. **

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><p>Elijah drove as fast as the car would allow. He was always the wisest of all the siblings. Maybe not the most dexterous, Klaus always seemed naturally gifted in that department. But it wasn't dexterity that kept people alive, especially in the supernatural world. Elijah wasn't a fool; he knew when it was impossible to win a fight. There are times in life when there's no sensible choice but to run.<p>

He looked over at Hayley. Her arms were crossed and she looked out her window, allowing him to barely even see her profile. "So is this what we're going to do for the rest of our lives…run?" She finally turned to face him only to wait for an answer he did not give. "I'm not an idiot, Elijah. Even when we get home, we won't be able to stay in Chicago. We'll have to leave…never staying in the same place long enough for Alaric to find you." Hayley wasn't upset at him for what their lives had become in such a short matter of time. She would do anything to be with Elijah. Wasn't that what love was, to be willing to give up everything for that person? She gave up a normal human life and he gave up the alliance of his family.

"As I recall, you've always been quite fond of running. And rather good at it too, may I add." Elijah tried to sound lighthearted. Taking the situation too seriously, especially with her, would only make it more difficult. He tried using her defense mechanism of turning everything into humor. It was only thing he could think of to help her get through this.

She gave him a sad smile at his joke. "I bet if I was a vampire, I'd beat you in a race." She'd play along with his tactics, knowing exactly what he was trying to do.

Elijah teasingly glared at her. "I'm an original, show some respect."

Hayley let out a giggle. She could perfectly imagine him using the same line on someone in a serious manner. But she couldn't take him seriously. He grinned at her reaction. She'd never know how heavenly the sound of her laugh was to him.

"And I think you underestimate my competitiveness. I don't like losing." She turned to look out the window again. Her smile slowly fell as her mind went deep into thought. Elijah could tell she was thinking about something important. He didn't want to take her out of her thoughts. But eventually she turned to face him again.

"Elijah I need to do something. You might not agree with it…but I think I have to." She looked over to make sure he was listening closely. "I want to tell my sister about you…about everything." She waited for him to disagree, but he was silent. "The more I keep all of this a secret, the more I become disconnected with everyone in my life. I just want her to know." Hayley sighed when she was finished.

"Ok." Elijah stated solidly.

"Ok?" She questioned.

"She is your sister. If you wish for her to know, I will not stop you. It is your choice to make, Hayley." He looked back at the road. There were probably moving at 100 miles per hour. The sun was still high in the sky. They would probably make it to Chicago while it was still daylight. After thinking about it, Elijah thought having her sister know about her other life was a good idea. Hayley shouldn't bare all of her problems alone. Even Elena, who had lost so much, had everyone dear to her aware of all the problems the supernatural world had caused. She needed her sister now more than ever. They had a bond that Elijah would never be able to substitute or recreate.

By the time they were back in Chicago, Hayley had already fallen into a deep sleep for a couple hours. Elijah parked the car in the underground garage of his apartment. He quietly opened Hayley's door. Gently, he placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Hayley, we're home." Elijah whispered softly to her. She gradually awoke from her slumber. She made her way out of the car and went to the trunk to grab her things. The elevator ride up to the apartment felt like an hour. When they finally opened the door, all the lights were off. Elijah moved about the room, turning them on.

Hayley dropped her bags and stood in the kitchen, looking around the place. Nothing had changed; it was still exactly how they'd left it. The only thing that changed was them. Two weeks away and their relationship had been tested in ways they never anticipated. Her face was blank as she thought about it.

"Hayley?" Elijah interrupted.

"I'm sorry…what?"

"I asked if you were alright." He said with concern.

"Yeah…I'm fine. I just thought it'd feel different to be home. Do you ever notice how weird something can look the second time around? But really nothing is different about it, you're the thing that isn't the same." She said softly.

Elijah walked over to her. "Things will get better. I promise."

Hayley simply nodded and put her arm around his side. In return, Elijah kissed the top of her head. He then muttered something to her about unpacking while he went to get food for them. She didn't really see the point in it. They would probably leave in a week, a few if they were lucky. If Alaric didn't have any originals to kill in Mystic Falls, he wouldn't take long to find them somewhere else. The hunt would officially begin.

After Elijah had left for a while, she grabbed her phone from the purse on the kitchen counter. Her fingers ran across the touchscreen, a number that would forever be remembered. She waited patiently for the other end to pick up.

"Hello stranger." Lisa said happily. Just hearing her sister's voice immediately put a smile on Hayley's face. She suddenly thought of how hard it must have been for Lisa to see her in such a horrible place for the past two years. A wave of guilt hit her. Her sister had to deal with all the responsibilities of both a sister and a mother. It wasn't fair for either of them.

"Hey." Hayley replied quietly.

"What's going on?" The call didn't seem out of the ordinary for them. She didn't know how special it felt. Elijah's entire family was being threatened. Hayley just needed the reassurance that her own family was safe. And she just needed to be reminded that there were people out there having normal lives.

"Nothing. It just seems like we haven't talked in a while. I feel bad for not staying in touch as much as I should." Her sister was in the same city as she was. But there was so much more than distance that was keeping them apart.

"Oh, sis, I completely understand. You're a crazy college kid. You're supposed to be getting drunk, stressing over exams, and meeting ridiculously cute college boys. But I do miss talking to you."

Hayley laughed. She was glad that her sister wasn't able to see the tears well up in her eyes. She was doing none of the things her sister expected. Instead, she was caught in a paranormal war, in love with a vampire, and running away from a hunter who wanted to destroy them all. She was being anything but a crazy college kid.

"Can you do lunch or coffee some time this week?" Lisa asked trying to reduce the excitement she had at the very idea. But Hayley caught it anyway.

"That would be nice. Hopefully something doesn't come up." She said softly. But what she really meant was hopefully Alaric doesn't make his way to Chicago that soon.

"Hey listen, I'm on break at work right now. So I got to go. But I will call you later this week for that date, okay?" Hayley could hear busy voices in the background.

"Yeah, that's fine." The two sisters said their goodbyes. Hayley stared at her phone for a few moments after hanging up. She thought the phone call would make her feel better but all it did was make her feel somewhat worse. She looked up to see that Elijah had snuck in on her. He probably didn't mean to, he never did. The sight of him reminded her that it was all worth it. His company reminded her why she was still happy despite how strange her life had become.

Hayley grinned at him a little, getting off her spot on the couch. She made her way over to him and put her arms over his shoulders. The awareness that they were finally completely alone, started to dawn on her. Elijah watched her closely. He couldn't tell what she was feeling at the moment. She was trying harder than ever to prevent any emotion from showing on the outside. He knew she was struggling to be as strong as possible not for herself, but for him.

Ever so slowly, Hayley moved closer and closer to his lips. Just before they met, she stopped. A wicked smile formed, knowing she was teasing him. But Elijah didn't wait for her; he closed the distance between their lips himself. Hayley sighed at the move. Her body was telling her she wanted this but her mind was saying she was only using it as a distraction from everything else going on. Elijah may have known that, but he didn't care. They both needed to focus on each other than everyone else that was causing problems for them.

Hayley walked backwards to his bedroom, refusing to break contact with him on the way. She smoothly slide Elijah's jacket off his shoulders. For once, he wasn't wearing a tie. His hands easily slid her sweatshirt over her head. The sound of her heart racing only encouraged him more. Hayley managed to undo the buttons of his shirt but stopped from taking it off his body when her body froze under his touch. His fingers touched the line of her spine all the way from her neck down to her waist. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Elijah kissed every inch of her body. As her heart fluttered, she took off his shirt. Hayley realized she'd never feel this right with anyone but him. Everything with Elijah felt right. That was what told her she was right choosing him over anyone else. Nothing was contrived. It was all natural and real.

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><p>Elijah hadn't been able to fall asleep as easily as Hayley. His mind kept wandering to his brothers and sister's safety. His cell phone vibrated on the nightstand, stopping his thoughts. His vampire senses allowed him to silence it on the first ring. He didn't want to wake Hayley. It had just become dark less than an hour ago but Hayley was so exhausted, she fell asleep without control. She was breathing heavily, her body resting against him. He didn't want to leave her, even to talk on the phone. Quickly, he left the bedroom, insisting on keeping her asleep.<p>

"Rebekah." He said deeply.

"They have Niklaus, Elijah." She whimpered.

"What happened?" Him and Hayley couldn't have even one night to themselves. Everyone but them controlled their lives. He couldn't keep throwing her into things and tearing her out. It would wreck her. What she needed was consistency, whether it was a normal life or not. She just required something reliable.

"Bonnie…she performed the same spell that was put on Mikael. One of his hybrids saw it happen from a distance. The Salvatores are going to throw him in the Atlantic. They'll never listen to me, Elijah. We'll lose Niklaus forever." Rebekah sounded a second away from breaking. She feared Alaric but was more afraid of losing her brother. No matter what he had done to them, she never wished for him to die. Elijah looked back toward his bedroom door, inhaling deeply. What he knew he had to do wasn't matching with what he wished for. He wouldn't dare bring Hayley back to Mystic Falls. Not after everything that already happened to her there.

"Elijah?" Rebekah whispered into the phone.

"They will make a deal with me. Elena will trust my word, and I will keep it. I will be there soon." Elijah hung up the phone before waiting for his sister's reply.

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><p>Hayley awoke and immediately knew something was wrong. She looked around to find Elijah nowhere in the room. That was when she found a letter next to her on the nightstand. All she could do was stare at it, knowing whatever contents it held would be nothing good. She held her breath when she finally reached for it, carefully opening the seal. Her eyes raced across the letters but her mind didn't comprehend them, they refused. She read it over and over again until it finally settled.<p>

_Hayley,_

_The Salvatore brothers have taken Niklaus and plan on ridding the world of him forever. After everything he has done to our family, I still can't bring myself to allow such a thing to happen. I promise I will do everything in my power to come back to you. Stay where you are. I love you._

_Elijah_

The words _stay where you are_ kept sticking out to her. He knew she would come after him. It was pointless to say such a thing. She was going to anyways. Elijah could be going to his death and they would never get to say good-bye to one another. She ripped off the bed covers and immediately started getting dressed. Her mind started racing through how to get to Virginia as quickly as possible. She couldn't drive at a fast enough speed. Police would surely stop her and unfortunately she could not compel them.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a noise from the other side of the bedroom door. She froze all movements. Her eyes rapidly swept over the room to look for some kind of weapon. Slowly, she opened up the nightstand drawer to find a couple stakes. Her hand gripped on tightly as she slowly crept to the door. Since she was in the process of getting dressed, her body was only covered in her bra and underwear. Once she was at the door, she paused for a moment to listen. Before she could lose her courage, Hayley whipped open the door and saw someone lurking on the other side. Her instinct made her charge the stake at them before registering their face. It was too dark outside and in the apartment anyways. They easily caught her wrist before the stake made contact. They twisted her around so she was caged under their arms, her back against their chest. With all her strength, she tried fighting against their hold but it was useless.

"Relax, darling." A male voice whispered into her ear. It caused shivers across her skin. But then she recognized his voice. She pushed herself away from him and whipped around to face them. Her eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Kol? What the fuck are you doing here?" Hayley yelled at him. Her fingers combed through her hair, trying to calm herself down. She didn't know why, but her eyes started watering. The scare she just had, mixed with the stress of Elijah's safety started taking its toll on her. She suddenly felt really hot and her breathing became raged.

Next thing she knew, Kol had wrapped his arms around her. "Shh. It's ok." He said softly to her. The tenderness he was exposing seemed unnatural to Hayley. She tried to pull herself together. The tears hadn't escaped yet.

"It's Elijah…he went back." She whispered, assuming he didn't know his brother was no longer in Chicago. Her body finally pulled away from his and she realized she was still only wearing her underwear in the presence of Kol. He didn't even seem to be acknowledging it.

He nodded his head. "I know."

Something dawned on Hayley. "That's why you're here. Did Elijah tell you to come?" Her voice sounded angry. Not only did he send his brother to watch over her but there was now no way Kol would let her go back to Mystic Falls. He looked at the ground, only confirming more that she was right.

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><p><em>Elijah watched Hayley sleep as he stood in the doorway. He quietly closed the door and went to the living room to make a phone call. When the phone wasn't answered for the first few rings, he started to believe he would never pick up. His stubbornness probably caused him to be too angry to answer his call. But on the second to last ring, Kol answered the phone.<em>

_"Rebekah has already informed me of the news, if that's what you're calling about, brother." It was clear he was still angry with Elijah. But they both knew he deserved everything that happened. _

_ "That is not why I'm calling, Kol. I need to ask something of you." Elijah stated._

_ "And you think I'll help you?" Elijah could hear the amusement in his tone. _

_ "It concerns Hayley." He said quickly. There was silence on the other end of the line. Elijah knew that his brother would never refuse if the matter were about her. "I'm going back to Mystic Falls… And I shall be going unaccompanied."_

_ Kol already knew what he was asking. But he wanted to hear Elijah say it. "What do you expect me to do about it?" The younger original asked mockingly. _

_ "If anything goes wrong…I won't leave her unprotected." Elijah's voice became terribly sad. His mind started thinking of the worst that could happen. Him and Rebekah could easily be killed. Kol and Klaus would be the only two left. Klaus would be helpless in his condition if him and his sister failed. And it would only be a matter of time before Alaric would go searching for Kol. Hayley was so involved with his family, what was to say the hunter wouldn't go after her as well?_

_ "Why are you asking _me_?" He questioned his older brother. _

_ "I never believed you were capable of truly caring for her…but if you have the feelings toward Hayley that I presume, you won't let anyone hurt her. And if I should die, I want to know that her life will be safe." Elijah waited for Kol to respond. He assumed his brother's silence was his way of agreeing to what he asked of him. "Where are you?" He asked Kol, hoping it wasn't too far away._

_ "Chicago." Kol said softly. He knew that's where Elijah and her would go. His response took the older Mikaelson off guard. But it then made sense to him. Any doubts he had about his regards for Hayley were now gone. Kol would go anywhere she went. Maybe he always knew Elijah would eventually have to leave her to aid his family once again. Elijah finally gave Kol the address of his apartment and hung up the phone without thanking his brother. He knew he wasn't doing it for him; he was doing it for her._

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><p>Hayley awkwardly looked down at herself, her cheeks blushing. It took a moment for Kol to realize what her reaction was regarding. He smirked while he rolled his eyes, and turned away from her. It was a chivalrous move for him. And he probably would've been more himself if he didn't know how upset she already was. She let out a nervous laugh and ran back into her bedroom to actually put on clothes. And came back out to Kol, her face still slightly blushing. She was now wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt. They walked into the living room instead of continuing to stand in the hallway.<p>

"He left without saying goodbye because he wouldn't lie to me. And if he didn't lie to me, he knew I would have never allowed him to leave." She said softly. Kol stood with his arms crossed while she sat on the couch and still tried to process everything that was happening.

"Why are you even here? You should be with them, helping! Nothing is going to happen to me here while everyone Alaric wants is in Mystic Falls! Your whole family is in danger, while you're safe." Hayley said harshly. She was able to contain herself from yelling at Kol. It didn't offend him. He expected her reaction to seeing him would be fairly negative. Hayley had her elbows balanced on her knees as her face was hidden in her hands. She couldn't wait half way across the country to see if Elijah would live. It was too much to handle. She'd always been impatient and when it was applied toward waiting to see if the man she loved would live or die, it was agony.

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><p><strong>So I've been getting a lot of reviewscomments about me writing another story pertaining to Kol. I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it. But I don't want to promise anything to you guys. I decided to write this Elijah OC because the idea had come out of nowhere. And I just felt like sharing it. So if I wrote a story about Kol, I'm scared it would be to forced. So I'm not saying I won't do it but I'm not saying I will for sure. **

**Thanks! Review please :)**


	50. Chapter 50

**Ok so I ROYALLY fucked something up in this chapter. And someone kindly pointed it out to me. It bothered me so much that I had to change it and repost the chapter. Sorry if anyone else caught it and it bothered them. It just had to do with Jeremy. I don't know what happened...I guess I was tired and stupid lol. So if you already read this chapter and didn't notice. Ignore it reading it again i guess. **

**Music  
><strong>

**Happiness - Jonsi & Alex **(Kol & Hayley)

**Weightless - Marconi Union**

**Frozen - Andy Garfield **(Jeremy)

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><p>Hayley stared off into space for a few seconds. "I'm going to Mystic Falls." She declared as she stood up from the couch. She expected Kol to react dramatically but he only squinted at her. His words had no meaning to him.<p>

"No, you are not." He said as if he didn't take her seriously. But she ignored him and started walking back toward the hallway that led to Elijah's bedroom. Kol blocked her path in a second.

"Get out of my way. I'm going no matter what you say." She growled. Her arms tried to shove past her but vampire physicality always trumped human.

"You will only get in the way. You're a weak human." Kol said bitterly. He was trying to force the cruel realities into her head. She only stepped back to glare.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't completely useless. I killed your mother, didn't I? Stop acting like you care if I live or die, Kol. It's not my life that's in danger, it's Elijah's and the rest of your family."

The vampire closed the distance between them. His face was so close it faltered her determination. "Must I really say it aloud? Fine." He made sure to look deeply into her eyes so she could read nothing but truth. "I care if you die. Don't test me, Hayley. Stop being a suicidal fool." It was the distress in his eyes he accidentally slipped that caused her to feel guilty.

She didn't step away from his nearness as she spoke. "Kol please let me go. I can't even consider of anything happening to him without me being there. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I'd rather be in danger with him than safe all alone. I'll do anything…just please…I have to go to him." Her voice almost sounded pathetic, probably because she didn't think he would let her go no matter what she said. In her entire life, she had never felt so helpless. In the human world, she was never the girl to sit on the sidelines. She was determined and went after whatever she wanted. But her free will had somehow been taken away so quickly; she was just starting to see how much she had disregarded it.

Kol looked at her. What he wanted to tell her was that she would never be alone, but he refused to ever say it. He was starting to realize what would happen to her if Elijah died. The selfish part of him thought of the chances he would have of getting her to love him. But he knew that she could never care about him the way she cared for Elijah. His death would destroy her. Elijah would never let her risk going back to Mystic Falls if the brothers' rolls were reversed. That was why Kol started having second thoughts. If he couldn't give Hayley what he wanted, at least he could give her what she did.

He stared into her eyes that shined from the tears she was too ashamed to cry. "I will only you to go on two conditions. I'm going with you." Kol said firmly. The terms were not negotiable, and she knew that. Hayley only nodded her head in silence at his terms.

Kol was driving his black Ferrari through the night at speeds beyond the legal limit. Hayley say quietly in the passenger seat. With the darkness of night and the speed of the car, she could barely see where they were. A part of her was still in shock that she was even on her way to Mystic Falls. She couldn't figure out what convinced the original to even allow it.

Hayley turned to look at him. "I'm sorry for what Elijah did to you. And I'm glad you woke up before Alaric could get to you." Her voice was overly polite and quiet. She was scared that if she said one thing wrong, he would turn around and lock her in Chicago.

"I woke up early enough to hear you tell Elijah I only see what I want to. And listened to you say you love my brother only about a dozen times. Honestly, it made me feel a little nauseous." Kol said with his signature smirk.

Hayley's eyes narrowed to a glare. "I take that apology back. Maybe you shouldn't kiss your brother's girlfriend and then your neck wouldn't have to get snapped." She crossed her arms. But her heart sped up when she remembered she was supposed to be playing nice.

"I'm not apologizing for that." He said, still amused. Hayley relaxed, seeing that he was using the method that made it seem like he didn't care about her.

"Oh right. I forgot. You don't apologize…ever." She added mockingly. But knowing that they were heading toward guaranteed danger sparked something inside of her. Hayley randomly remember someone once telling her the deepest conversations happened in kitchens and cars. She guessed cars were one because no one could interrupt and you were stuck. People can't escape talking about things that were painful or usually avoidable. And once they were out, it was like everything was left there and they could go on acting like nothing happened. In any other circumstance, Hayley wouldn't want to talk about what there was between her and Kol. But there was a treacherous chance something horrible could happen. It could very much be now or never.

"You don't love me, Kol. You think you do…but it's not real." She whispered.

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><p>His smirk vanished and he glanced over. He never anticipated her to say something so straightforward. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. He'd already lost the battle between him and his brother. He didn't see the point in dragging out her obvious decision any longer. But he took the rare chance to say everything he never said aloud.<p>

"Do I really scare you or just the fact that I'm more of a risk than Elijah will ever be? Think about it, Hayley. Perhaps you should recognize you're not the only one who conceals parts of themselves from others. I thought you of all people would understand that." Kol didn't look at her as he spoke. His eyes were fixed on the fast rode ahead. But he could see her mouth open a little. She didn't expect him to be as honest as she was in return.

"Both of you were always a risk. Look at me…I'm driving toward a possible death. Neither of you are a safe choice. I'm not going to string you along, giving you false hope. I love Elijah. Maybe you care about me now, but you'll lose interest eventually. You've only known me for two weeks, Kol. How are you so sure about any of this?" Hayley believed it was the truth. She didn't think it was possible for anyone to grow to love her in such a short amount of time. Before Elijah, she didn't think it was possible for anyone to love her at all.

"You're right. It seems I was left in that coffin for too long. I've started confusing love and lust. Maybe you shouldn't be such a tease, playing Van Helsing in nothing but your underwear." Kol's devilish grin was back. The comment came off more insulting than playful, and that was what he was aiming for. He wouldn't allow himself to glance over at Hayley's reaction to his comments. But she believed every word he said. Her cheeks blushed at the mentioning of him seeing her so indecent. And her mind kept trying to convince itself another original couldn't love her as much as Elijah. It helped that Kol was almost as good of a liar as she was.

The ride seemed to longer than it had been with Elijah, even with Kol reaching a higher velocity. But eventually they reached Klaus' mansion while night was still lurking the town. Hayley jumped out of the car, speeding toward the door. However, Kol held out his arm roughly blocking her from moving forward any further. She looked over at him with a questioning expression.

"Let's not be an idiot, shall we? Wait here while I make sure no insane vampire slayers are prowling about." He disappeared without waiting for her response. But he was back at her side a few seconds later.

"The whole place is empty. No one's been there for hours." Kol explained.

"How are we going to find them? They could be dead already for all we know!" Hayley stated in frustration. But her mind thought of something suddenly. "Elena's house! Someone has to be there that knows what's going on!" Kol tried not to act impressed with her idea. He wouldn't be welcomed there, not after he nearly killed Damon with a bat and gave Elena a head injury.

"I'll drive, but it's best you only talk to them. It won't be pleasant if I'm there also." Kol said. They both hurried back to his car without discussing it further.

Next thing Hayley knew, she was knocking on the Gilbert's door. Elena's brother opened the door. She hadn't talked to him since the night she helped him and Matt kill Ester. He seemed to be expecting someone dangerous because his face relaxed from his intimidating appearance once he took her in.

"I need your help Jeremy." She asked carefully.

"What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously, not completely off guard yet. He didn't know if the originals were pulling some kind of trick on him.

"Can I come in for a second? Please." Her voice couldn't help but sound hopeful. This boy was her only chance at figuring out where Elijah was.

He looked to be torn between letting her in or not. But he caught a glance of something in her eyes: desperation, determination, and fear. "Come in." He said as he opened the door wider. Jeremy remembered that she saved his life. Whatever she needed, he would try and help. Without her, Matt and him would have been killed.

"I just need to know where Elijah is…" She waited for a second, too scared to ask the other question. "Is he even…alive?" Jeremy could see the anxiety she had and quickly nodded his head yes to reassure her.

"He came here about two hours ago. He made a deal with my sister to get Klaus' body back. Damon is meeting Rebekah at a storage department out of town to take him away. Elijah is with Caroline and Stefan…." He stopped for a second.

"What are they doing?" Hayley urged.

"We set a trap for Alaric. They're…they're waiting for Alaric so they can get rid of his weapon. They don't know of any way to kill him. He said all of you would run. Hayley, Elijah said he left you in Chicago. What are you doing here?"

"He didn't tell me he was going. He left without saying goodbye. I…um…I had this horrible feeling that he was going to die. I know it's stupid but…I just needed to come here. Where are they, Jeremy?"

"It's too dangerous. Alaric could be there any second." Jeremy warned.

"That doesn't matter. Kol's with me, he can help them. Tell me where they are." She didn't plan on leaving his house until he told her and wasn't above turning to physical violence to get the answer out of him.

Jeremy looked down at the ground. This was only their second encounter. But when he looked at Hayley, he was reminded of his sister. She probably had a normal life before Elijah became a part of it. She was another human stuck in this fight just like him and Elena. If she had friends or family like him and Matt, maybe they would be forcing her away from it all just like he did to Elena. But if she was as much like his sister as he thought, then she loved Elijah just as much, if not more, than Elena did all of her friends and family. But Hayley seemed to have something more than his sister did. That was what made him tell her.

"They're in the woods off of route 12. Kol will know where it is. But you should hurry before he gets there. He's more dangerous than you can imagine." Jeremy added.

A sigh of relief escaped Hayley. "Thank you!" She started toward the door but right as she was about rush out, she stopped. Jeremy watched her halt, wondering what she was doing. Hayley turned to face him. "I'm sorry…about everyone you've lost. And I'm sorry you're stuck in all of this. It was my decision, but I know you never chose this life." Her eyes were sad as she spoke to him one last time. He was taken aback by her kind words. Before he could respond she was sprinting out the door at a speed he could never match.

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><p><strong>Sorry again for the slip up. It's still annoying. <strong>

**REVIEW!**


	51. Chapter 51

**So...didn't get a lot of reviews on the last chapter. Whatever. I just hope this one is better received because I thought about it really hard. LIKE REALLY HARD. LOL. I highly recommend listening to the music, as it is quite essential. **

**Music**

**Love - Daughter **(Elijah/Caroline)

**Reality - Andy Garfield **(Kol/Hayley)

**Possession - Nicholas Hooper **(Alaric)

**To Build a Home - The Cinematic Orchestra **(Elijah)

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><p>Elijah and Caroline waited in the woods for Alaric to try and claim Klaus' body. It was the first time they had ever been alone. Elijah understood what attracted him to the young vampire. He respected her but Klaus was obviously infatuated for reasons he didn't quite understand yet. It was clear the feelings were not mutual. Caroline loves Tyler, and Klaus being desiccated only brought relief.<p>

The original vampire could feel her eyes watching him. He raised an eyebrow at her. She wanted to talk to him, but felt like it wasn't appropriate. He had heard her breath in to start speaking but every time she stopped herself.

"Did you leave without say goodbye?" Caroline asked softly. She was nervous it was too personal to ask the ancient vampire about.

"Yes." Elijah replied solidly.

"I'm sure she isn't happy about that." Her voice almost sounded amused. She always liked Hayley. Ever since the day at the grill, she always appreciated the human's sarcasm and determination. But clearly there was much more to her that Caroline had failed to figure out. She assumed Elijah saw it when no one else could. Maybe if things were different, they would have been best friends.

"I'm certain she's still sleeping and has yet to discover my absence." He informed her. But he knew that Hayley always awoke when her body sensed he was no longer sleeping at her side. She was probably up as they spoke. Kol would be with her and she would hate him for leaving her alone with him.

"You really love her… I can tell." Caroline said softly. Her words finally made him look at her. Her expression was sincere. Elijah had always gone through great measures not for the others to see his love for Hayley. But Caroline's heart was pure, that was probably why she could see right through Elijah.

He didn't know what to say to her. She wasn't looking for confirmation. But his lack of words was overlooked when he heard Stefan talking on the phone in the distance. He glanced at Caroline, alerting her to listen to the conversation too. Both of them walked quickly over to where they heard Stefan. His face was completely torn when he hung up the phone. He turned to face them when he heard their footsteps. He wanted to tell them that Klaus was dead, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Caroline and him would be dead and Elijah will have lost a brother.

"What happened?" Elijah growled. Stefan could only look at them.

"Stefan?" Caroline whispered. She was beginning to read his face.

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><p>Kol's Ferrari came to a halt when they finally reached the forest Jeremy had informed them about. Hayley threw open her door. But Kol was in front of her the next second. He stepped forward, shoving her back against his car.<p>

"I hope you realize what peril you are putting yourself in. If anything happens, you run, Hayley. I don't care if Elijah is in danger. You run like hell. Hopefully I can distract Alaric long enough for you to get away." She was about to argue but he interrupted her by thrusting the car keys in her hand. He started to turn away from her but she caught his hand.

"Thank you, Kol." She whispered to him. Her skin was cold against his. It wasn't what he expected. He always thought her skin would be unnaturally warm, thawing his heart that everyone believed was covered in ice.

Kol looked deep into her eyes. "If I die from my cursed mother's creation, I wish for you to know…if I loved anyone in my immortal life, it was you." Carefully, he bent down and gently kissed her soft lips. Hayley didn't kiss him back but she didn't pull away. It was over before it really began. He barely pulled away as he looked into her eyes again. "But I want you to forget it. If we both somehow survive this, I don't desire for you to ever know that." Hayley's pupils dilated under his compulsion. He backed away as she blinked a few times, his mind tricks settling in. "Let's go." Kol said. She nodded blankly, following him into the woods.

They walked in between trees. The vampire could hear people in the distance, further into the darkness. But with Hayley at his side, they had to move at a human pace. Kol's head whipped to the side when he heard something rushing toward them. Damon, bloodied and broken, stumbled out of the dimness. When Alaric couldn't chase after Rebekah, he came back for Damon. But he wouldn't give up without a fight. His improvised plan was to lure him to the others, hoping he could make it back before he was killed. The younger vampire didn't acknowledge Kol. Damon tried to stand up straight but his posture slouched due to pain. He looked at Hayley whose eyes were covered in horror seeing the condition he was in.

"Are you an idiot? Get out of here!" Damon shouted at Hayley. His concern for her safety confused her. The spaces in between his teeth were filled with blood. Even with his warning, she still didn't move. To come this far and just to turn around was useless. And a portion of her was frozen just seeing what could put him in such condition. She was about to ask him what happened. But Alaric came racing into the forest opening at inhuman speed.

He looked around at what he had stumbled upon when hunting Damon. "You try distracting me from killing one original, just to lead to me another." Alaric said and then he eyed Hayley. "Not to mention a pathetic vampire lover." Kol's eyes darkened as he stepped in front of Hayley, putting himself between her and Alaric. "Another original, another line of vampires dead. Your pathetic brother, Klaus is gone. I killed him." Alaric grinned. Kol didn't wait for any more of an invitation. He lunged toward the hunter, seething with rage. He quickly hit Alaric with two punches that were so fast Hayley couldn't see them clearly. She remembered Kol telling her to run if this happened, but she couldn't leave him to possibly die. Their fight went on. Alaric started to have the upper hand. He struck Kol so hard that he knocked him off his feet. His hand immediately went into his jacket pocket, bearing the white oak stake. Hayley gasped, thinking she was about to watch Kol get murdered right in front of her. Damon came out of nowhere, tackling Alaric so he was no longer hovering over Kol's body. But Alaric easily got rid of the Salvatore. He snapped his spine, immediately putting Damon into a cataleptic condition. The hunter was already over Kol's body again before the original could even manage to pick him up. "So weak. Even for an original, you are hardly a fair fight. Your whole family is pathetic." Alaric growled. Hayley was starting to panic. She didn't know what to do. There was nothing around her that could help. Alaric raised his arm to slam the stake into Kol's heart.

"NO!" Hayley screamed. She rushed forward throwing herself over Kol's body. Tears were falling from her eyes. She couldn't let another one of Elijah's brothers die. Her human body shielded him. The action made Alaric hesitate, which was exactly what she wanted.

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><p>Elijah stood in shock. Klaus couldn't be dead. Not after all of this. He stared out into space, refusing to believe it. There was a noise behind him. He turned to see his sister with tears streaming down her face.<p>

"He's gone, Elijah." She gasped. Elijah inhaled deeply. Hearing it declared from Rebekah finally made it real. The astonishment was starting to settle. "There was nothing I could do to stop it." She started toward her brother, who now had tears in his eyes. The siblings tightly embraced each other. It was just the three of them now. Their family was slowly getting picked away, one by one. Elijah wouldn't allow them to fight any longer. They needed to run. He wouldn't let Kol or her die while he was still alive. Hayley pushed her way into his mind. He needed to get back to her. The idea of never saying bye made him sick. He promised he would do everything in his power to go back. He must keep his word.

"NO!" A scream sounded through the forest, not far away. Rebekah pulled away from her brother to look at him. Her mouth opened when she recognized the voice. Her heart ached when she saw how utterly terrified Elijah looked. Without a word to her, he sped in the direction of the scream. All Rebekah could do was follow.

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><p>"They are vampires. Don't you understand all the evil that would be gone from the world if they were killed?" Alaric glared at her. Blood stained his face, making him look even more like a monster.<p>

"You are talking about extermination. They can't help what they are. Their mother made them just like she made you. Not all vampires are evil. Killing innocent people would only make you worse." Hayley cried. It was pointless trying to get mercy from such a monster. But it was all she could think of to save Kol's life. If he died, it would be her fault. She was the only reason he came back to Mystic Falls.

Alaric grabbed her too swiftly for her to be able to react. His hand lifted her off of Kol's body by her throat while the other still held the stake. Hayley couldn't breath as she was lifted so her eyes were directly level with his. "You're so weak. You speak of them as if they're real people. I should kill you for being just as bad as they are." The lack of oxygen was started to have its effects. Her vision blurred and everything looked different. Life seemed to be slowing down. She looked down to see Damon's body lifeless on the ground. She was guaranteed to be next, only she wouldn't wake up again.

Just when she was about to take her last breathe. Alaric was stabbed with a broken branch. He looked down at it and dropped Hayley. She tried to carefully begin breathing again. Every inhale felt like a knife was running along her throat. She looked up to see Elijah was now fighting Alaric. Rebekah was at her side, helping her back on her feet. Kol had regained his strength and was now aiding Elijah in his struggle with Alaric. The two girls watched in horror.

"What do we do?" Hayley whispered as she looked at Rebekah. Their sister looked just as panicked as she was. The vampire tried to concentrate on what to do. Suddenly, her ears picked up a car driving quickly toward them, on the nearest road. It had to be Matt and Elena. No one else would be out at this time of night and driving at such a speed. An idea was forming in Rebekah's mind. It was the only thing she could do to save what was left of her family.

Hayley was then left alone to watch Kol and Elijah fight for their lives. Two more people came out of nowhere. She quickly recognized Stefan and Caroline who knocked Alaric off his feet. It was now four against one and Alaric's face looked nervous for the first time that night. He was outnumbered. But he was immortal. No matter what they did, he would live on.

Stefan's ears suddenly picked up a noise in the distance. "No." He whispered and left the woods, heading in the same direction Rebekah had. The two original brothers and Caroline were the only ones left to fight the hunter. Hayley stood still, waiting for Alaric to attack the vampires. Her heart was racing. As if he could hear it right then, Alaric glanced at her before speeding over. It caught all three of the others off guard. They expected him to continue fighting.

He had a steel grip as her back was against his chest. Both of them now faced Caroline, Kol, and Elijah. Hayley tried to break out of his hold, but she was too weak. Her body had never been at such a disadvantage. She gazed at the three vampires that watched her. Kol hid his fear under anger. Caroline kept glancing between Alaric and her, wondering if there was even anything she could do without getting Hayley hurt. But the look on Elijah's face caused tears to start flowing down her face. For the first time, she saw him actually scared.

"Let her go." Elijah said firmly. His jaw tightened. But as he spoke, his eyes never left Hayley's. The tears pouring down made her blue-green eyes beam in the night's darkness. He took a step toward her, beginning to understand it could be the last time he saw them with life.

"Ah! Not so fast. Any of you take another step and I promise I'll kill her." Alaric warned. "But…this town could use one less vampire sympathizer." Before he could be stopped, his hands gripped around her neck. He twisted and snapped it, instantly killing her. He let Hayley's body drop to the ground.

"NO!" Elijah shouted right before he heard her neck break. He lunged forward, tackling Alaric. His fangs were bared and his eyes were dark red, veins lining the space bellow his lids. The hunter only grinned, seeing Elijah for the monster he truly was. Somehow, Alaric was able to get the upper hand. He shoved Elijah against a tree and extended his arm back to finish his kill.

"Go ahead." The original growled. But Kol ripped Alaric off his brother.

He turned to the younger vampire, ready to strike. Except, he fell to his knees. His hand went over his heart in pain. "What's happening? What's happening?" Alaric pleaded. He groined in pain as his body collapsed further onto the ground. Kol watched in confusion as his body slowly turned grey. His veins dried up in seconds.

"He's dead." Kol whispered as he looked up at Elijah. In his last moments of life, the monster Ester made seemed to have disappeared. It wasn't the ultimate hunter that lay before them, it was truly Alaric. Caroline had been at Hayley's side the entire time. She now whipped her head up to Kol. She gasped, now aware of what had really happened. There was only one possible way of killing Alaric. She disappeared in an instant.

Rebekah appeared in front of them once again. Her hand went over her mouth as she saw Hayley's dead body on the forest floor. Elijah ignored everyone, his eyes only staring at her as he reluctantly walked over. He fell to his knees as tears silently fell from his face. There was no sobbing as he mourned her; his tears fell as silent as the shadows he grieved in. Her pale skin lost its glow. Her legs were tossed in a way that no human would lay normally. She was never even meant to be anywhere near Mystic Falls. This was everything he feared since the day he'd met her. When humans became involved with vampires, death was the only end.

Kol carefully walked over. The top of his noise was split and a gash ran along his left cheekbone. There was blood all over his clothes. He couldn't bare the sight of Hayley's body. And he didn't want anyone to know how much the sight bothered him. "Elijah." He said softly.

The sound of his brother's voice only threw Elijah into a mindless rage. He was up and shoving Kol into a tree. Somehow he managed to grab Alaric's weapon from the ground also. "Why was she here? I told you to look after her! Why did you let her come back?" He shoved the stake's base against Kol's throat.

Elijah's yelling made Rebekah jump. She had never heard her brother raise his voice at her or any of their siblings. "Stop it! He's your brother, Elijah!" She yelled at him, terrified that he was so blinded by his rage, he would actually murder Kol. Just because Alaric was dead, didn't stop the weapon from being lethal.

"She's not dead." Kol gasped under the pressure of the stake again his throat.

"What?" Elijah asked. He backed away from him.

Kol straightened his jacket and glared at his brother. "Hayley is not dead."

His vagueness only made matters worse. But Elijah began to understand what exactly his brother meant. "What did you do, Kol?" He said quietly, fearing his guess would be correct. But Kol didn't answer him, only glanced over at Hayley. "WHAT DID YOU DO, KOL?" Elijah yelled this time. His reaction forced Kol to finally look him in the eye.

"I wouldn't let her go without drinking my blood. I saved her life. This is what she always wanted…. I just did what you never could." Kol breathed.

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><p><strong>So I know that was very similar to the whole Elena thing BLAH BLAH BLAH. But I assure you, that was always what I was going to have happen. So technically VD stole from me! LOL<strong>

**Review! Review! Tell me what you thought please :)**


	52. Chapter 52

**Got some amazing reviews from last chapter. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I particularly enjoyed writing this chapter, so hope you guys like it!**

**Music**

**Be Still - The Fray **(Elijah)

**Goodbye to Jess - David Julyan **(Sire)

**I'm Listening - James Newton Howard **(Kol&Hayley)

**Vladimir's Blues - Max Richter** (Elijah&Hayley)

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><p>Elijah stood over Hayley's body once more. His eyes were still glazed over. It was hard for him to keep convincing himself that she was not truly gone. Even though Hayley wished for it, he knew it was never wished to be this soon. She had expected years before losing her human life.<p>

"Elijah, we should get her back inside. Who knows when she'll wake up." Rebekah said softly to her brother. She was trying to be as supportive as possible. Becoming a vampire never seemed like a tragic thing to her. But she had never loved someone like Elijah did, especially a human. She felt pity for him then, realizing how fragile the girl he loved was. Her mind wandered to the way everyone in Mystic Falls felt about Elena. Damon still lay a few feet away, unconscious. Soon he would wake up and wish he hadn't. But there was no guilt when she thought of how the doppelgänger was now dead, probably in the morgue. Rebekah did it for her family. And now Hayley would forever be a part of it.

Elijah nodded at his sister's words. Carefully, he picked up Hayley's lifeless body. Her neck and arms were pulled by gravity as they fell limp. The closest place they had was Klaus' mansion. He raced there without saying anything to his siblings. They knew where he was going; they didn't need to be told.

When he walked into the mansion, all the lights were off. Most of the furniture was packed up in boxes that Klaus would never take away. Hayley's death put the hybrid within her shadows in Elijah's mind. Sheets covered all of the furniture that would forever stay in the manor. He placed Hayley softly on a nearby divan that had yet to be concealed. The room felt oddly quiet. Then Elijah realized it was her lost heartbeat. He'd grown so accustomed to its constant rhythm reassuring him, he'd never realized the emptiness he felt when it lay silent… until now.

Elijah's siblings had failed to come back yet. He assumed they were trying to give him time alone with her. He took in Hayley. Despite her mature appearance, she still looked so young. This was what she would be like for the rest of her immortality. Never growing, never changing, stuck young and beautiful forever. It was what most human women strived for until the day they died. But the gift of youth was given to Hayley without striving for it at all.

The original tried to think of how long the average human took to transition back to life during the progression. A thought suddenly occurred. What if she didn't want to become a vampire? What if she refused to drink to complete the process? Elijah decided he wouldn't allow it. But his thoughts were interrupted when Hayley shot up, breathing heavily. Her eyes were scared as they flicked about the mansion looking for an explanation of what happened. Eventually, they settled on Elijah who sat on the table, which was placed right next to the divan. He could read her eyes perfectly as they registered what had occurred.

Hayley's hand went over her mouth in shock as she slowly put everything together. Her life hadn't been saved, not truly. Elijah quickly moved to sit beside her as he saw her lip start to tremble. Tears silently dripped down her cheek. He quickly wiped them away gently with his thumb.

"I'm sorry, Elijah. I've ruined everything. I was so stupid…I just kept thinking you were going to die…and…" She stopped herself as her voice started shaking the further she went on.

"Shh." Elijah comforted as he pulled her onto his lap. She immediately buried her face into his chest. His arms wrapped around her. For a few minutes, they just sat there in stillness. After all they had been through, they only paid attention to the fact they were both alive.

After awhile, Hayley pulled away so she could look at him. "What happened after I…How did you make it out alive? Rebekah and Kol?" She started to panic when she realized they could be dead for all she knew. Elijah shook is head straightaway to show that they were very much alive.

"Alaric is dead. Rebekah and Kol are fine." He told her.

"How is he dead? Nothing can kill him except…" Hayley looked up at him, her eyes widened. She knew right away that Elena had been killed. "Who did it?" She whispered to him.

"Rebekah." Elijah said as he looked down at the ground. His sister may not have been ashamed by her actions, but he was. He had never meant for her to get killed. The Salvatore brothers and the rest of her friends were going through the same thing he just believed he was.

"And Klaus…is he really dead?" She murmured, almost too scared to hear the answer. She hoped that Alaric had been lying to them. But Elijah slowly nodded. Hayley shook her head, refusing to believe it was true. How could he be dead? It felt impossible. No one ever outsmarted Klaus; it just wasn't done. She put her arms on Elijah, holding him tight. "I'm so sorry, Elijah. After everything you did to keep him alive… I'm sorry." She whispered.

Their time alone came to an end when Rebekah and Kol walked into the mansion. They both seemed relieved when they saw the condition Hayley was in. Elijah noticed something dark red in Kol's hands. It was a blood bag. Surely, he stole it from a hospital and that was why they hadn't returned immediately. He walked over to where Elijah and her sat, Rebekah slowly followed. Hayley's eyes squinted as she noticed Kol. It was like his appearance made her remember something, something that she was meant to forget.

Kol crouched beside the divan and handed the blood bag to Hayley, ignoring the glares he was receiving from his older brother. "Drink it." He insisted. She looked at Elijah, nervously. He only nodded, reassuring that it was ok. "You have to drink human blood to complete the transition." Elijah explained. He took the bag, gracefully ripping the top so it was open. Hayley took it out of his hands, drinking it. She thought she would only take a sip, but her impulses took over. It tasted so good to her; she would never be able to describe it to a human. A minute later, she had finished the whole bag.

"What if she's sired to him?" Rebekah asked softly.

Elijah's head shot up to look at his sister. "What?"

His sister viewed him seriously. "What if Hayley is sired to Kol?"

Hayley's brow furrowed. "What does that mean 'sired'?" She still sat on Elijah's lap and didn't plan on moving any time soon. He wasn't dead and she had somehow made it out sort of alive. When she looked at him to explain, his face was blank. She started worrying and shifted to Kol who was already staring at her.

"Occasionally, vampires are sired to the one that changed them. They have an obedience and loyalty to them. The vampire could tell their sire to do anything and the new vampire would only be able to abide, powerless to stop it." Kol described.

Hayley stared at him in horror. She turned to Elijah, waiting for him to deny it but she only saw how irritated he appeared. Clearly, he hadn't thought about the possibility until Rebekah brought it up. "How am I supposed to know?" She urged, getting up from sitting.

Kol stepped close to Hayley, looking into her eyes as if he was about to compel her. "Kiss me." He stated clearly, making sure there was no compulsion.

Elijah was on his feet in a second, pushing him back. "You forget yourself, Kol." He growled at his brother.

But Kol pushed him right back. "It has to be something she wouldn't do if she could control it." He said simply. But there was also sadness in his explanation that no one was able to catch.

"He's right, Elijah." Rebekah added.

Hayley's hand softly grabbed Elijah's shoulder. He turned to stare at her. She gave him a reassuring smile, trying to tell him it would be ok. She stepped closer to Kol and urged him with her gaze to try again.

"Hayley, kiss me now." Kol burned his demand into her stare. He added a smile of amusement, since he felt ridiculous literally telling her to kiss him. But her eyes were empty. There was no forced desire or obedience within them. He knew immediately that she wasn't sired. He could feel everyone in the room relax. Even if she were sired, it wouldn't be right. No matter how much he wanted her, he would never force anything that would cause her to exchange false feelings.

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><p>Kol walked along Hayley's side. She hadn't spoken a word since he'd made her go outside of the mansion. Elijah had gone to the hospital to steal some blood bags for her. He didn't have to ask his younger brother to watch over her. Kol couldn't stand watching Hayley stare into space for another minute. He forced her to take a walk, explaining that fresh air could only help. It was difficult, him handling her being so upset. He had never put such an effort into comforting someone before. He never cared enough. But she was his friend and had done nothing but the same for him. The entire time, her only reasoning for being so kind to him, was simply the fact that he was Elijah's brother.<p>

They had reached an opening in the trees to the lake he knew she'd grown fond of. A fallen tree sat right at the edges of the water. Without saying anything, Hayley walked over to sit on it. She stared at the small waves in the lake. Kol watched her for a moment before deciding to sit down next to her. The silence was starting to become torturous.

"This is what you wanted to happen you know." Kol said softly to her. Hayley knew how hard he was trying to help. But it sort of made things worse. The situation was causing him to act unlike himself and it only showed how awful everything had become. If Kol was incapable of being humorous, it was bad.

"I never wanted it to happen like this." She whispered. Her eyes began to water. Most vampires would advise to turn off their emotions. But Hayley refused to do so. Turning off her emotions would only push her further away from any humanity she had left. She was desperately holding onto anything mortal.

Kol could hardly watch as he saw her eyes watered with tears that would never escape. She immediately turned away from him so he couldn't see them. It made her feel weak. Elijah was the only one that had ever seen her cry and she didn't want to add Kol to the list. But he suddenly remembered the night Alaric killed her. Hayley had thrown herself over him, crying and begging for Alaric not to murder him. She would've died saving him.

"I never used to cry. My sister always joked that I was soulless. Funerals, sad movies…no matter what, I wouldn't shed a tear." Her eyes stared off into the lake. She tried to remember what exactly made her that way when she was a human.

"It's part of the transition. You can't control all the emotions. You don't have to hide from me every time." Kol said softly. He understood that she saw it as a sign of weakness. Maybe it bothered him because she would only allow herself to do it in the presence of Elijah.

Once Hayley got control of herself, she looked at him. "Elijah will never stop blaming himself. It was really my entire fault. I made you take me back even knowing it was dangerous. I just had to disobey him. But no matter what I say, he will always take responsibility for my stupidity." She sighed.

There was nothing Kol could say that would prove Elijah wouldn't forever hold accountability. It wasn't Elijah's blood that she drank; it was his. "Think of it this way, you will always look this beautiful." He tried sounding like he was teasing her, but the truth underlying his statement came out too obvious. There was something else in his voice that caused Hayley to look up at him.

"Stop being so nice to me. It's not like you. Admit it, you like me better this way. I probably started ruining your reputation by making you hang out with a human for so long without killing it."

Kol shook his head with smile. "You were the only human I ever liked. Repeat that to anyone and I will surely kill you."

"Too late." Hayley let out a cynical laugh.

Kol's face was immediately mixed with anger and sorrow. He turned away from her, looking at his feet instead.

"Sorry…too soon for that?" Hayley asked nervously laughing. She knew Kol wouldn't respond. He hated letting it show that he cared about her. Once a human was turned into a vampire, everything they were compelled to forget was remembered. Kol had told Hayley he loved her, never expecting that the memory would be brought back to her. Only, he expected he would be dead if she did, never the other way around. After being a vampire for a few days, Hayley still hadn't brought it up. Kol believed she never planned on doing so. Despite how his plan turned against him, it felt almost better knowing she was aware of his love. He could still be his horrible self, proving to everyone he was heartless, and Hayley would be the only one to know how he truly was.

Kol stood up. "Come on. Elijah will be back soon. He'll probably be worried about you. I'm sure he'll believe I took you to the woods to kill someone."

Hayley perked up a bit at the mentioning of his brother, the one that she truly loved. Her eyes received a wicked gleam in them. "I'll race you." She challenged.

It wasn't all bad things that made up vampires. People seemed to believe they were built to be nothing but murdering fiends. But of all the traits she was given, the speed was Hayley's favorite. Elijah and the rest of his family had already noted how fast she had become as a vampire. Never had any of them seen such a physical feature so magnified after the transition.

Kol smirked at her; happy he was able to do something to make her feel just a little bit better. He nodded, accepting her contest. She didn't wait for a start before racing back into the forest toward the mansion. He honestly tried to beat her, but she was faster than he ever anticipated. Not even a minute later, they were back in the estate's yard. Elijah watched the two of them walking back, standing on the patio with his hands casually placed in his pockets. Hayley smiled at the sight of him and left Kol's side. The younger Mikaelson looked away as he saw her slowly place a kiss of reception on his brother's lips.

Elijah had seen other parts of her grow more prominent than when she was human. Hayley was always observant before. It was the reason he always told her she was so talented as an artist. She now noticed the smallest changes in emotions from his family. It almost seemed like she could read people's minds. And with it, she was able to express deeper compassion and empathy for those around her. Hayley hadn't changed beyond herself. If anything, her greater qualities only reminded Elijah why he fell in love with her in the first place.

He expected to see Hayley's other characteristics start to show themselves in the near future, such as her stubbornness, independence, and charm. The idea of them appearing stronger thane ever, amused him. Elijah had grown to understand that good things could come through terrible paths. Kol justified his actions by explaining he did was his brother never could. Elijah would never admit it, but Kol was right. Even now, he couldn't think how he could ever kill Hayley in order for her to spend a life of immortality with him. He glanced at his younger brother who seemed to be ignoring his and Hayley's affections. Although Elijah wouldn't stand guilty for her never returning Kol's affection in the way he wished, he couldn't help but feel sorry for his brother. But Hayley was never meant for Kol. She may be linked with him forever by blood; but her heart would always belong to Elijah.

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><p><strong>STILLLL not the end. But it's close. Like one more chapter close. <strong>

**So _review, review, review_ because pretty soon...there won't be anything else to review! :,(**


	53. Chapter 53

**This is it. The last chapter. Savor it. Enjoy it. Reread it.**

**Music  
><strong>

**French Vacation - The Walkmen **(Chicago)

**Indian Summer - Jónsi & Alex **(Lisa)

**Flax - Gem Club **(Kol's Goodbye)

**Euphoria - Motopony **(Elijah/Hayley ;] )

**The Price of a Good Trick - David Julyan **(Klaus)

**Acid & Everything - Gem Club **(the end)

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><p>Two weeks had gone by since Hayley became a vampire. Elijah and her only stayed in Mystic Falls for a few days after her transition. Even after all that happened, he did everything to make sure she still had a normal life. Elijah made her promise she would finish college. He told her she could go to art school, never setting foot in another law firm again. When Hayley said that her parents would never allow it, he interrupted by informing her he would pay for it. She tried to argue, but it was pointless. He only wanted to see her happy. Hayley tried to tell him that all she needed for that was to be with him. But Elijah didn't want all her happiness to come from him like she did for himself. There were small things that made her happy before she met him, and he didn't want her to lose them.<p>

They moved back to his apartment in Chicago, permanently. With Alaric gone and the only weapon to kill them thrown at sea, there was no reason for them to run anymore. One of the first things Hayley did when she got home was see her sister. Elijah went along, not needing to be asked. What she was about to tell Lisa would not be easy, and she needed him there.

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><p><em>Lisa opened the door enthusiastically, thrilled to see Hayley after too long. Her smile faltered a little when she recognized Elijah, even though it'd been over two years since they'd met. She looked at her little sister for some sort of explanation, but Hayley only looked nervous. "Can we come in?" She asked softly. <em>

_Lisa nodded. "Of course…come in, come in!" Hayley sighed in relief. She hadn't got used to waiting for invitations to go inside people's houses. It always felt like she was asking something that shouldn't be allowed. Her restrictions made her feel guilty. _

_Elijah followed Hayley into the house. "Please don't let me kill her." She whispered to him before they tailed Lisa's body that had disappeared into the kitchen. He exhaled at her request. She still didn't trust herself around humans, even though her self-control was much better than she acknowledged. Hayley had yet to kill someone, but she felt she was just waiting for a monster to erupt from within. He kissed her quickly; reassuring that he would never let her do such a thing. _

_Lisa sat at the kitchen counter with a cup of tea in her hands. She looked suspiciously between the two of them before they sat down also. _

"_What is this all about?" She said nervously. "Not to be rude. But what exactly are you doing here…Elijah, right?" Lisa eyed the original as he nodded. She surprised herself at being able to remember his name after so long. _

"_He's my boyfriend." Hayley spit out. She didn't want to drag it out any longer than was necessary. _

_Lisa put down her cup, waiting for her sister to tell her she was joking. The last time she checked, Elijah was inappropriately older than Hayley. But instead of confirming it was a joke, Hayley went into her clarification. She spent the next half hour explaining everything that she wanted Lisa to know. When Hayley couldn't bring herself to say certain things, Elijah would kindly cut in. She decided she'd spare the gory details of how she gruesomely became a vampire. It was unnecessary and would probably make her sister faint. Lisa was quiet the entire time, not once stopping her to ask questions. Her mind seemed to be absorbing everything. It was a lot to take in all at once. How do you calmly tell someone that vampires, werewolves, and witches existed? And then add that their little sister had become one of them._

_Hayley stopped talking, waiting for Lisa to say she was crazy or call 911. But her older sister just stared at Elijah for a moment. It made Hayley more uncomfortable than Elijah. She appeared to understand all of this happened because of him. _

"_Lisa, will you please say something?" Hayley murmured. The silence was the worst thing that could have followed her unveiling of secrets. _

"_All that time…it was because he left. And you didn't even know. Oh my god, I'm so sorry Hayley. I wish I would have done more." She got out of her seat, embracing her little sister tightly. Being so close to a human without preparation made Hayley's eyes immediately darken, the predator within took over. She pulled away and hid her face from Lisa. Scaring her would only make matters worse. Her older sister was so filled with changing emotions, she didn't even notice. _

_Lisa finally contained herself and sat back down. Elijah noted how openly emotional she was compared to Hayley. As if she could hear his thoughts, her eyes turned to his. "So, when I met you, were you two…together?" She asked quietly. _

"_No." Elijah replied. "Actually, as I recall, Hayley was quite upset with me that evening." He finished with an amused smirk, remembering how angry his surprise appearance had made her. Even though, later in the night was when they shared their first kiss, truly starting their relationship._

"_I just needed you to know, Lisa. I don't want to keep my real life a secret from you anymore." She grabbed Lisa's hand. It was the only way she could think of comforting her without making her fangs come out or eyes darken. _

_Before leaving, Elijah left the kitchen to let Hayley have a moment alone with her sister. He made some excuse that he had to make a phone call. Even if he tried, there was no way of stopping himself from overhearing their private conversation. _

"_You know, when I think about it, it all kind of makes sense." Lisa said softly. "I remember now, during that dinner, how he looked at you. I ignored it because the idea of anything romantic between you two seemed ridiculous at the time. But I think he was in love with you even then." _

_Hayley gave her a shy smile. It all seemed so long ago. Even though it didn't feel like it at the time, her and Elijah's relationship seemed so much simpler. But then again she hadn't really known all that much yet. _

"_I know you'll never say you've regretted anything…but I just need to ask. Are you happy and I mean truly happy?" Lisa whispered, still not aware of how sensitive vampire hearing was. _

_A grin beamed from Hayley. She couldn't even control it. "Before I met him, everything just seemed so meaningless. I was fine and everything. But I just can't even imagine how much happiness I would never have had if I didn't meet him. I love him, Lisa…more than I can ever explain and for reasons I don't even think I could put into words for you. You don't have to worry… This is what I want."_

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><p>Elijah had converted one of the many bedrooms in his apartment into an art studio for Hayley. She spent a lot of her time there, especially when he was away for one reason or another. Currently, she worked on an oil painting atop a large canvas. Her hair was up in a messy bun, random pieces refusing to be tamed. She wore an oversize denim shirt that had dried paint and faded charcoal stains. Her long legs completely exposed from the shirt that almost acted as a dress. As her mind was in such a faraway place, she didn't notice Elijah had walked in behind her. Hayley smiled when she felt his lips go from her exposed shoulder, to her neck, and then on her cheek. Giggling a little, she turned on her wooden stool to face him. Elijah grinned when he saw a random streak of blue paint across her cheek. Before he could point it out, she stood up to kiss him properly. Hayley stepped away and stood for a moment on her tippy toes in excitement.<p>

"Good news!" She left the room at vampire speed and came back with a large envelope in her hand. "I'm officially a student at the Art Institute of Chicago!" Elijah smiled at her delight, already knowing there was no way they wouldn't accept her. He kissed her again as if it was a reward for her personal success.

Hayley pulled away, a smile still on just a tiny bit duller. "And what exactly is the plan once I'm done with college?" She asked carefully.

"I thought I would leave it up to you. But I had a few ideas in mind…. Paris," He kissed her nose. "Rome," Her temple. "Barcelona," Her cheek. "I believe you get the point." He finished casually.

"I've never even been out of the country." Hayley sat back down on her stool, overwhelmed with all the possibilities. Her eyes stared off, trying to imagine. Elijah caught a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail and placed it behind her ear.

The gesture caught her attention and she looked up at him curiously. "What were you just doing?" She asked.

"I had to make a phone call." He replied without look at her.

"With whom?" She sounded suspicious.

Elijah glanced at her a moment, not wanting to tell her. "Kol." He said quietly. He'd made a habit of keeping in touch with his younger brother. The fact that Hayley was connected with Kol, made him uneasy. If he died, she would die with him. It all seemed quite unfair and un-Shakespearean. His younger brother knew exactly why Elijah felt the need to make a call every once in awhile. He never asked to speak to Hayley and Elijah never brought her up. But somehow, no matter what, their conversations seemed to be about her without actually being stated. Hayley's smile vanished at the mentioning of the younger Mikaelson. She looked at the ground

"How is he doing?" Her voice sounded torn and sad. She wished she could stay in contact with him, to be friends with him. But Hayley knew she wished for too much. And it would only be hard on both brothers. Her mind wandered to the last time she saw Kol, right before they left for Chicago.

* * *

><p><em>Elijah had left the mansion, making some impractical excuse for why he needed to go into town before leaving. She'd already said her farewells to Rebekah. The original sister gave her a hug Hayley did not expect. She then made her promise to keep in touch. Rebekah now saw her as a sister she'd always wanted. There was only one Mikaelson left. Hayley knew Elijah was leaving her alone with Kol to say goodbye. <em>

_Elijah trusted her alone with him, even if he didn't feel the same way about his younger brother. Elijah believed he owed her privacy to say goodbye to him without knowing he could hear them. Hayley was just packing the rest of her things when she felt his presence in her room. She turned to see Kol sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her. Somehow he seemed to be aware of the unspoken arrangement._

_ "Hey." She said softly. He smiled at her, but it was so weak, there was no point in him forcing it. Hayley slowly walked over to sit next to him on the bed. "I actually didn't think you would even want to say bye to me." _

_ "Don't be ridiculous." Kol said with a smirk. _

_ "I just want you to know, I will always be your friend. No matter what happens, I won't stop caring about you. And I realize that's not what you want to hear…that it's not enough. But I had to tell you anyway." She nodded her said as if she was trying to assure herself that saying anything more would make things worse. She got up from the bed. But Kol grabbed her hand. He stood up quickly and pulled her into his arms. This was as close to her as he would ever get. She wasn't his to keep, she never was. Hayley froze in hesitation for a moment, not expecting it. But after a second, she relaxed and held onto him tightly. Her eyes closed at his touch. She didn't know the next time he would show himself. Vampires had all the time in the world; years were nothing now._

_ After a few moments, Kol pulled away slightly so his mouth was parallel to her ear. "My brother is the better man, he always was and he always will be. But I will never be too far away. Goodbye Hayley." He kissed her on the cheek and then he disappeared. Hayley stood silently in the empty room._

* * *

><p>"He's in Montreal." Elijah stated quietly. He technically didn't say how his brother was doing because they already knew the answer. Kol was inconsolable and probably going on a rampage to make himself believe he wasn't. Hayley only nodded. That's all she would ask.<p>

At the mentioning of his brother, Elijah's attention moved to the pile of paintings and drawings in the corner of the studio. They were Klaus'. Before parting, Hayley refused to allow them to be left behind. It was a connection her and Klaus had that Elijah would never understand. What he did understand was why it saddened her to see them left in the mansion or thrown away.

"Are you planning to leave those there for eternity?" He pointed to them.

Hayley looked over her shoulder even though she knew what he spoke of. Her eyes became depressed when she began thinking about Klaus. They never found his coffin back at the storage department. The originals were convinced Alaric disposed of his body in some way.

Hayley shrugged. "I don't know…maybe we could hang them up around the apartment." She turned back at him to see what he thought.

"I would much rather have yours hanging about." He stated.

"Fine. But I'm going to have to charge you." Hayley informed him with a mischievous smile. Elijah raised an eyebrow at her.

"Is that so?" He challenged. Hayley only nodded. "And how much will that be?" Elijah stepped closer to her as she sat on the stool. Her arms then relaxed on top of his shoulders. His hands slipped under the edge of her denim shirt, resting them on her tiny waist.

"Oh, I don't want your money." She added.

"Well, how am I supposed to pay you?" He inquired.

Hayley's smile only widened, glad he was playing along. She reached up to place a kiss on his lips. But it wasn't casual and it wasn't quick. Her mouth lingered and took its time. She could feel Elijah's mood immediately change as he gripped her waist tighter. Everything seemed to be better. There wasn't any threat lingering over their heads anymore. After all they'd been through they deserved happiness. Hayley led Elijah to their bedroom to take full advantage of their problem free lives.

* * *

><p>Hayley had started summer classes at the Art Institute to catch up on credits. Taking two years of pre-law didn't really prepare her for art school. She was walking down the busy city streets, back to the apartment, sketchpad in hand. She turned a corner on a quieter street to get away from all the slow walking tourists. There was no one walking on either side of the street. Suddenly, her vampire senses picked up something unusual. It felt like someone was following or watching her. She used her sensitive hearing and vision to figure it out but the feeling passed a few moments later. Hayley shook it off and just picked up her pace.<p>

A few minutes later, she walked into the apartment. She dropped her bag and sketchpad on the kitchen counter before walking into her studio. Her senses already told her Elijah wasn't there. After a few minutes of casually sketching she had that strange feeling again. Someone was in the apartment. She closed her eyes and listened carefully, determined to find them. A second later, there was a creak of wood coming from the kitchen. A human would never be able to pick it up.

Hayley flew into the kitchen and nailed the intruder onto the floor by latching around their throat. Her eyes changed and her fangs showed threateningly. But it all vanished instantly once she recognized her victim. Klaus was staring back at her with a wicked grin. She quickly moved off of him and stared, not believing what her eyes were seeing.

"It's impossible. Rebekah saw Alaric stake you. Your body went up in flames." She whispered as her fingers tousled her hair.

Klaus was on his feet. He ignored her talking. His eyes looked her up and down. "So it's true. You're finally a vampire. I must say I prefer you this way. Although, I believe I found you more sexy than terrifying just then." He raised an eyebrow at her along with his inappropriate comment.

Hayley crossed her arms and glared at him. All her doubts of him not actually being Klaus were gone. Only he would speak to her in such a way. His body wasn't being possessed and she wasn't going insane. "What happened?" She whispered.

Klaus put all joking matters aside as he finally explained how his existence was possible. "Bonnie took matters into her own hands. Before Alaric killed me, I was inside someone else's body. Tyler Lockwood's, to be exact. My body wasn't completely destroyed by the flames. I was able to find a witch to repair it before returning inside." Hayley sighed; finally relief and happiness substituted her shock and wrath. She walked forward and hugged him. Her gesture surprised Klaus. It took him a moment to return the affection. He couldn't remember the last time someone embraced him. Caroline had, but only because he was in Tyler's body. The feeling was something he hadn't realized he missed.

The apartment door opening ended the exchange. Elijah stopped mid-step when his eyes fell on his brother. In a single breath, he had Klaus pinned against a wall. Hayley's eyes widened. "Elijah, stop! It's Klaus!" She knew he immediately assumed it was another one of Ester's tricks.

Klaus glared into his brother's eyes and shoved him off as soon as Elijah's grip lightened the tiniest bit. "Maybe you should have a little faith, brother."

Elijah moved to Hayley's side. The hybrid noticed how his stance was slightly in front of her, protectively. He still didn't trust his brother's reawakening. Klaus put his hands up in a yielding manner, trying to prove he meant no harm. After a moments thought, Elijah figured out how he survived. He assumed Klaus had used his favorite trick. He'd witnessed it so many times that he couldn't understand how he hadn't thought of the possibility sooner.

Elijah wouldn't show any relief or joy at seeing his brother again. He knew that's what Klaus expected and wanted. He turned to look at Hayley before confronting him again. "What are you doing here, Klaus?"

"Why, I thought I'd finally come out of hiding. And my curiosity got the best of me." The hybrid glanced over at Hayley in a way that made Elijah's jaw tense. "I just needed to see the latest, cunning vampire. She has become quite the menace, Elijah. What ever did you do to her?" His older brother's lack of elation in seeing him made Klaus start to test his patience and control. It worked, for Elijah started toward him. But Hayley quickly stopped a fight from breaking out.

"Will you give us a few minutes?" She asked Elijah quietly. He looked between her and his brother. He wanted to refuse the request immediately, but he knew she could handle herself. Klaus wouldn't do anything to harm her. He only pretended like he didn't care about Hayley. Elijah nodded reluctantly before leaving the apartment, truly giving them privacy.

"Why do you push him like that?" She patronized Klaus. But he didn't answer. "I have something to give you." She added before walking toward her studio. He followed quietly. Klaus immediately spotted his artwork, sitting in the corner. He didn't thank her for saving his work. It would be unlike him to be so genuinely grateful to her. But she knew he never would anyway. She sat on the wooden stool next to an easel, watching him scan through his paintings.

"Do Rebekah and Kol know?" Hayley asked.

"Not yet. I plan on meeting up with Rebekah at some point. I was actually surprised I didn't find Kol in Chicago." Klaus said without looking at her.

"And why is that?" She asked honestly.

"You, of course." He said, finally looking up at her. His comment made Hayley shift uncomfortably in her seat. Elijah never brought up his younger brother. She wasn't used to speaking about Kol.

"He's in Montreal. Rebekah is in London." She stated quietly.

"You must have broken the poor lad's heart." Klaus said. It was sick how entertained he was at the idea, his teeth showing into a huge grin.

"I see you're still an ass." Hayley glared. There was a silence, which filled the room. Her composure softened. "He's happy to see you, Klaus. Just give him time. He went back to Mystic Falls to save you. Don't ever believe he doesn't love you. He's been through a lot and I think you shook him up a bit."

"I don't really have time. I'm leaving town tonight." Klaus said.

Hayley eyed him and crossed her arms. "Why did you come here? You could have easily gone to Rebekah and we would have found out sooner or later that you were alive."

Klaus stared at her quietly for a moment. He came to see that she was all right. His desiccation was the only reason his siblings and her were forced back to Mystic Falls. Hayley had been right all along: he should've trusted his family above all else. When he'd heard of Hayley turning into a vampire, he had to see for himself. But Klaus would never tell her he was there to see his only true friend.

"Take care of those paintings, will you, love?" He said in his flawless British accent. Hayley gave him a sad smile and went over to him. She hugged him once more, already knowing all the things he couldn't allow himself to say aloud. The second she pulled away he walked out the door.

Klaus clicked the elevator button to go down. "Niklaus." He heard behind him. He turned to see Elijah looking at him guardedly. His older brother didn't need to say anymore. Everything Elijah wished to express could be read in his voice. _Always and Forever_, they had once told each other. It still applied. But the time was not right, Elijah and Hayley deserved to live a life of their own for a while. But both brothers knew, eventually their family would be truly reunited. Hayley would never allow anything else. His family was now forever hers. Sooner or later, Lisa would pass away, along with all of her dear friends. And the original family would be there.

"Don't ever let her become me." Klaus said as the elevator doors opened. It was the first time either of them openly acknowledged the terrifying similarities between him and Hayley.

Elijah looked at the ground. "I shall see you again, brother."

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>I just wanted to thank every single person who took the time to read this story. I'm just a 19 year old girl who had an idea and felt the need to write it down. I never expected to get the viewers and reviews I did. So thank you all so much! I would love to hear your final thoughts on this fanfic. I know so many have requested other stories (mostly ones on Kol). I've been thinking about it a lot. And it will probably end up happening, it's just a matter of when. Thanks again to all of you. So lucky to have such avid readers.<strong>

**Until next time. **


	54. PLAGIARIZED

A very helpful and loyal reader informed me that someone is stealing, plagiarizing my work, and putting it on WATTPAD. I did not even know what this website was until they told me about it.

The user's name is Hippolyta10. I have reported to the sight that they plagiarized my work. I don't know how effective it will be though. So please, report them and overwhelm their page with comments about their hurtful act.

I never realized how horrible it would feel for someone to steal my work and claim it as their own.

Thank you dearly, disharandive98, for bringing this problem to my attention.


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